What to expect to pay for LASIK
LASIK is the most popular laser vision correction surgery in the United States and worldwide. It's estimated that approximately 1.5 million LASIK procedures will be performed in the U.S. in 2007.
Because it's considered an elective medical procedure (like cosmetic surgery), most health insurance policies do not offer a benefit for LASIK surgery. Usually, you will have to pay the entire surgical fee out-of-pocket.
Factors in LASIK pricing
While cost shouldn't be your only consideration when deciding where to go for LASIK surgery, it's useful to have a general idea of what you should expect to pay for the procedure.
The price of LASIK can vary considerably, depending on:
The type of laser technology you choose.
The type of surgical instrument used to create the corneal flap.
Whether or not your pre-op exam and follow-up visits are covered.
Whether or not your post-op medications are covered in the fee.
Whether or not retreatments (if necessary) are covered in the fee.
The skill, reputation, and experience of your surgeon.
The community and area of the country you live in.
The least expensive option is standard (not wavefront-guided) LASIK with the corneal flap created with a mechanical microkeratome. This is the oldest LASIK technology.
Although results are usually very good with this type of LASIK, it has a higher risk of certain complications, including flap problems. Nighttime glare and other vision problems may also be more prevalent after standard LASIK compared to newer and more advanced wavefront-guided LASIK technology.
The highest-priced option will usually be wavefront-guided LASIK performed with the latest-generation excimer laser and the corneal flap created with the latest-generation femtosecond (IntraLase) laser.
The wavefront-guided technology uses precise computer-generated mapping of the eye to guide the excimer laser as it reshapes the cornea, often providing better visual outcomes than standard LASIK. And using a laser to create the corneal flap eliminates the risk of most flap complications for a safer, more psychologically-comfortable LASIK procedure.
Expect to pay approximately $350 to $500 more per eye for wavefront-guided LASIK with a laser-created corneal flap, compared to standard LASIK with a flap created with a bladed microkeratome.
2007 LASIK prices
Earlier this year, AllAboutVision.com commissioned a report by a leading refractive surgery industry analyst regarding 2007 pricing for LASIK surgery performed in the United States. Among the findings stated in the report:
The average price for LASIK (and other laser vision correction procedures) among surgeons and laser vision centers who quote a single laser vision correction surgical fee (with no add-on charges for more advanced technology like IntraLase flaps and wavefront-guided laser treatment) is $2,099 per eye ($4,198).
The average price for wavefront-guided LASIK combined with an IntraLase laser-created flap (often referred to as customized all-laser LASIK or custom IntraLASIK) is $2,357 per eye ($4,714).
The average price for conventional LASIK combined with a bladed microkeratome-created flap is $1,694 per eye ($3,388).
LASIK prices at corporate laser centers
TLC Vision Corp. and LCA-Vision, Inc. are two of the largest corporate laser vision correction companies in the United States. TLV Vision operates 80 TLC Laser Eye Centers in the U.S. and LCA-Vision operates 70 LasikPlus Vision Centers across the country. Both companies are publicly traded.
In its quarterly filings for the second quarter of 2007 ending June 30, TLC Vision reported $47.0 million revenue from 33,900 procedures, for an average procedure price of $1,386 per eye ($2,772).
In its quarterly report for the same period, LCA-Vision reported $69.7 million in revenue from 48,668 procedures, for an average procedure price of $1,423 per eye ($2,846).
Neither company's report included a detailed breakdown of how many of the procedures they performed during this period were conventional LASIK surgeries vs. wavefront-guided, all-laser procedures.
Buyer beware
Be wary of advertisements for surgery centers that offer LASIK at very low prices — "LASIK as low as $299 per eye," for example. If you read the small print, only a small percentage of patients (sometimes less than 10%) qualify for this pricing, based on their refractive error.
Typically, "bargain"-priced LASIK will be standard LASIK with a bladed microkeratome. Pre-operative exams, follow-up visits, medications after surgery, and retreatments may not be included in the price.
Sometimes these surgery centers use a "mobile" laser, meaning the laser is trucked to the surgery center that day, and then gets loaded back on the truck and is taken to another surgery center the next day. This constant moving of the laser may affect its calibration and the consistency of the results it provides.
According to a leading industry analyst, less than 7% of LASIK procedures performed in the U.S. in 2007 cost less than $1,000 per eye.
Choose wisely
As with most things, "If a price sounds too good to be true, it usually is."
Remember — You have one set of eyes. Choose wisely.
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