LASIK Costs

When you are considering LASIK surgery, cost is an important consideration. In an attempt to increase their revenue, some LASIK centers advertise rock-bottom LASIK prices. There are many reasons to look at these quotes with skepticism and even more to avoid making your decision wholly on the basis of price.

What Does the Quote Include?

Some LASIK centers offer a price that includes everything from the initial exam through follow-up care, while others give you more of an a la carte pricing system. When you hear or see an advertised price for LASIK that is $499 or even $299 per eye, this is typically an a la carte price that really includes only the actual treatment. Extra charges may include:

Cost of initial exam
Cost of follow-up appointments
Cost of anesthetic
Facility fee and consumable materials fee
Cost of enhancements to improve initial results
Surgeon's fee

Together, these costs can double or even triple the per eye cost of the procedure. In addition, not everyone is eligible for an advertised price, which may include only simple LASIK, and not wavefront or custom LASIK that may be necessary to accurately correct your refractive errors. If you receive a quote from your ophthalmologist for the cost of your LASIK procedure, make sure you know what is included.

How Some Practices Keep Costs Low

Some LASIK centers are able to offer remarkably low prices for LASIK. Often times, these practices have significantly economized their practice and make only a small profit per patient, hoping to cover practice costs and generate revenue with a high volume of patients. Common methods practices use to reduce costs include:

Not sterilizing equipment often enough
Reusing microkeratome blades
Not recalibrating the laser as often as recommended
Qualifying patients who should be excluded for risk of negative outcomes
Delegating important work to less-qualified assistants
Using second-hand equipment or equipment not FDA-approved for use in the United States

These practices have been reduced in recent years because they do lead to a greater frequency of complaints from patients. Before you agree to a LASIK procedure, make sure you check for complaints from prior patients about a practice.

The Average Cost of LASIK

In 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the average per eye price of LASIK was $1300-$2570. Obviously, this is a very wide range. Factors that account for this variation include:

Variations in individuals' eyes and the treatments they require
Variations in the type of procedure, including LASEK, Epi-LASIK, iLASIK, and All-Laser LASIK
Variations in LASIK markets

If you are being quoted a price dramatically above or below this range, you should definitely be suspicious and ask your ophthalmologist questions, including:

What is included in the price per eye?
What is NOT included in the price per eye?
What would be the cost of prescriptions related to my treatment?
How many follow-up visits can I expect and how much will they cost?
What complications might arise? Would treatment of those complications be extra?

If you are unhappy with the answers to any of these questions or if you receive no answer, walk away. Your vision is too important to risk on a procedure that can have significant consequences if improperly performed.

If you would like to talk to a qualified professional about what constitutes a reasonable cost for a LASIK procedure, find an ophthalmologist in your area today.