A Guide To Laser Eye Surgery Costs and Finding The Best Deals

Laser eye surgery, also called LASIK, seems to be an expensive procedure. Being an elective procedure, most vision care insurance may not cover this surgery, so you may have to pay out of pocket. Prices are not readily available online as well since the cost will depend on a lot of factors unique to your case. Different types of laser eye surgery correct your vision, such as LASEK, Epi-LASIK, and PRK.

How much does it cost?

As mentioned earlier, the cost of laser eye surgery will depend on your vision, surgery difficulty, the practice, and the technology used by your surgeon as well as their professional fees. But to give you an idea, the price will range from around $2,000 to $2,500 PER eye. The cost can go higher by around $200 per eye if your surgery is the Bladeless LASIK, in which your corneal flap will be created by a femtosecond laser rather than the standard microkeratome. If you also choose the custom wavefront technology for LASIK, it could cost you a few more hundreds, but it’s the most accurate vision corrective surgery available.

How is it priced?

Refractive surgeons usually quote a single price for LASIK and other laser-based excimer surgeries for all of their patients. A fraction of them would offer a quote that would be personalized on your vision, the technology to be used, and the amount of refraction you will need to improve your vision. An advantage for those who give a single price for the procedure is that newer eye laser surgery technology will be priced the same as standard technology, so you will not have to pay more.

Can You Find Deals For Laser Eye Surgery?

Yes. You will encounter ads that advertise surgery for a good price of $1,000 per eye. But before you sign up for those operations, read the fine print because some centers are known to put limitations to those deals such as:

1. Older technology. You may get your surgery, but this will be done using older technology. While there is nothing wrong with that, you may be missing out on newer technologies that are more accurate and have less risk of complications and faster recovery times.

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laser eye surgery costs

2. The price is not all in. The price mentioned may be just for the procedure, but won’t include follow-up visits, post-operation care, retreatment or enhancement follow-up surgeries and other consultation fees. Read the fine print to make sure you know what the deal price includes.

3. It may only be a limited type of surgery. Some deals are only limited to nearsightedness correction operation. Astigmatism, farsightedness or even extreme cases of farsightedness will not be covered. For those not included, the actual cost will be much higher than advertised.

Where can I find cheaper Laser Eye Surgery?

If you ask your eye clinic, they may offer you financing schemes to make the cost lighter on a monthly basis. There are also financing companies that offer specialized elective procedures, LASIK among them, with fixed rates and long-term payment schemes. Your current vision insurance plan may or may not cover refraction surgery since it is still considered as unnecessary medically. Sometimes, offices team up with certain clinics of centers to help employees afford eye surgery through better discounts and financing schemes. Some large companies have these services on your plan, so you may want to check with your benefits officer for the details.

There are also FSAs, or Flexible Spending Accounts, where you can move pre-tax salary to an account for out-of-pocket health care. If your company offers this, you can look into using that to pay a partial amount of your surgery. There is also an HSA, or Health Savings Account, where you can set tax-free money for your health expenses. Any savings you get from your HSA will roll over to the following year so you can still use the money.

Either way, you can start saving up for money to pay for your laser eye surgery through loans, savings accounts, or, your health plan. Check with your employer to make sure that you are covered, and the extent of your coverage. If you are fortunate to have elective surgeries covered, then you can go ahead with your eye surgery. If not, use the ideas above to start saving. Make sure you are also working with a reputable eye care center. Do not be fooled by cheap prices, always look at the quality and the competence of their medical staff. Cost should be secondary to the safety and good outcome of your laser eye surgery.

How Do I Choose a Clinic?

Obviously, whether the clinic is near to your home will play a big part in whether you choose it, but it is important to do your research and discover which ones have the best rates of success and the highest levels of aftercare before making a decision.

The best way to choose any service is through recommendation. If someone you know has had eye surgery and it went well, ask them about it. It is best not to just choose the cheapest simply because it will cost less – certainly not before doing your homework on which clinic is the best in your region. Although how much you can afford will usually play a part in your decision-making, you need to make sure you are getting the best service for your money. After all, you can’t put a price on your eyesight.

If possible, get a few quotes from different clinics, so you can make an informed choice about which one will be best for you.

What About Going Abroad?

As with many surgical procedures, it is quite possible to get laser treatment performed in certain countries abroad, and it will probably be cheaper than at home – although, of course, you will have to factor in the cost of accommodation and travel.

If you are planning on going to a foreign country for eye surgery, you will need to do even more research than if you’re staying at home. And don’t forget that it will be more difficult to get aftercare and follow-up appointments if you are having to travel hundreds of miles.

Disclaimer: Our service is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as financial advice. We help our readers make informed decisions via impartial information and guides. Where appropriate, we may introduce partner companies who can provide services relating to financial products.