eye laser surgery : Can I Afford LASIK?

The eventual cost of your LASIK procedure will most likely be related to the quality of the eye doctor you choose.

Choose your eye surgeon carefully

If you’ve been considering LASIK eye surgery, one of the most important things to do is choose your eye doctor wisely. Put aside the question of cost for a while, and focus on finding the best quality surgeon. It’s wise to check on:

· Credentials

· Professional affiliations

· Extent of experience

The best LASIK surgeons have extensive experience. They select their patients carefully too, because not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK.

So take the time to interview several, ask lots of questions, and if the doctor seems more interested in processing great quantities of patients than in treating you as well as possible, move on.

Don’t believe advertisements

LASIK costs are quoted per eye, and they vary nationwide. If you see ads that offer “LASIK surgery from $499 per eye”, read any small print there might be. Not everyone will qualify for that low price and there could be hidden costs too.

Our eyes are as individual as our fingerprints, and each eye can be different from the other, requiring different treatment. A good LASIK doctor will customize your treatment to give you the best eyesight you can have. No matter what the context in life, customizing always takes more time and expertise, and yields a better result.

Wavefront-guided LASIK is an especially good choice from this perspective, because it so accurately maps your individual eye characteristics, and guides the treating laser accordingly.

LASIK costs have been rising

Over the past 3 or 4 years, several factors have contributed to rising prices:

· More demand for LASIK

· More expensive technology which yields a better result but isn’t used by all doctors

· Varying amounts of pre-op testing and screening

Overall, the cost for a LASIK surgery is in the vicinity of $2,000 or higher.

What’s covered in the cost

When shopping for your eye doctor, ask exactly what’s covered by the quoted LASIK price. The price may or may not include the cost of:

· Screening and testing

· Post-op medications

· Follow-up visits – and if some are included, how many, for what period of time?

· Doctor evaluations to decide whether any extra, or “enhancement” surgery will be appropriate in any given case

· Any enhancement surgery that might be deemed necessary

· Re-treatments during the rest of your life

Remember too that in order to give you a quality LASIK surgery, the surgical facility must cover many expenses, such as:

· Purchase or lease of the laser, microkeratome, and other equipment, and their maintenance

· Disposables which are essential for sterility, like gloves, masks and gowns

· Royalty fees to the laser manufacturer

· Specialized items used during the procedure, such as medications, surgical solutions and blades for the microkeratome

· Insurance

· Facility costs, such as staff salaries and benefits, office equipment, office supplies

· The surgeon’s fee

Financing choices

When choosing your eye doctor, ask what financing options his facility offers. Some centers offer low-interest or even no-interest plans. Some offer a plan that’s extended over a longer period so that the monthly payment can be lower.

Also consider the following:

· Some credit cards give free airline miles and a $2000 charge might qualify you for a free ticket

· Many employers offer Flexible Spending Accounts which set aside pre-tax dollars to cover medical expenses, and this could save you hundreds of dollars

· Depending on your circumstances, LASIK might be tax deductible, so check with your tax person

We have only one pair of eyes, so why not give them the best possible care and optimize their function? By doing our homework ahead of time in choosing a good doctor, by taking advantage of good financing options, and by careful financial planning within our own budget, most of us can probably afford this rather miraculous LASIK surgery.

By Sara Goldstein