LASIK Eye Surgery Cost

LASIK Eye Surgery Cost

Cost of LASIK Treatment, Time off Work for LASIK treatment

The Cost of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK eye surgery cost includes the cost of the procedure, eye drops, and time off work.

LASIK eye SUrgery Cost

One determinant of the LASIK eye surgery cost is the method of flap creation—laser vs. the razor. Twenty-five years ago, all LASIK flaps where created with the mechanical microkeratome (the razor). In this method, a small oscillating razor travels across your cornea on a gear track to create the flap. Later a femtosecond laser was invented to create the flap (the laser).  This allowed thinner, more consistent flaps with stronger edges. Using the laser to create the flap is called “Bladeless LASIK.”

The later generation femtosecond lasers, like the VisuMax, allow a tongue in groove type pattern which makes the edges even stronger than the older 60 hz lasers. They also allow faster treatments with a smoother laser bed quality than the older lasers. The VisuMax is also the only laser that can also perform SMILE.  All this adds up to some specific advantages for the latest generation bladeless laser flaps. The lasers cost more to use than the razor, which increases the final LASIK eye surgery cost.

Quality Equipment LASIK Eye cost

The second determinant of the eye procedure price is the quality of the equipment used by the surgeon. Older used equipment costs less than the best newer advancements in excimer laser technology.

You wouldn’t think of using a computer model that came out 15 years ago, but many discount centers pick up used equipment and offer laser vision correction with technology that hasn’t been updated much for 15 years. The higher quality centers purchase the most advanced equipment and the sell their older technology to the discount centers. This commitment to providing your best possible outcome at the highest levels of safety affects the LASIK treatment cost.  We now perform most of our LASIK cases with the EX 500 Allegretto laser.

Quality Experience

The quality of service you receive and the commitment to quality from your surgeon matter in your outcomes. The serenity in the center and in your heart during the procedure can affect your results.  Surgery is already stressful enough without adding chaos from a less prepared or less caring and attentive staff.  Higher quality service and professionalism of the staff cost more.  Surgeons that are more sought after charge a bit more than those with extra time on their hands. If a surgeon’s reputation is well earned, then there is value in the extra expense and patients seek them out.

LASIK Treatment Cost, Cost of Eye Drops for LASIK Eye Treatment

The Cost LASIK eye surgery includes the cost of quality service and time off work for your appointments.   

Time Off Work for LASIK

You will miss some time off work for LASIK for your consultation and then again for your preoperative visit. In a consult, you find out if you are a good candidate and then schedule at time for your preoperative appointment and surgery. You then go out of your contact lenses and then return another day for the preoperative visit where the actual measurements for surgery are taken and you review all of the paperwork. If you want to minimize the time off work for LASIK, you could arrange for your first visit to be your preoperative visit. This would require that you had already gone out of your contact lenses the appropriate amount of time ahead of that exam so that you could accomplish all of the measurements in one trip.

You miss additional time from work for the day of surgery and then for the postoperative exams. Some take the day after surgery off while others have jobs that will allow them to work the day after surgery. All of this time off has a cost, whether it is missed hours, missed productivity, or personal days used.

The Cost of Eye Drops for LASIK Treatment

If you have medical insurance, we will submit the prescriptions through their pharmacy coverage plan. If you don’t have medical insurance, we have access to a plan that drastically decreases the costs.

Usually, you will need to purchase an antibiotic eye drop, an anti-inflammatory eye drop, and a relaxing pill for the surgery. Patients with a normal amount of dry eye will usually only need some additional artificial tears while those with more dry eye will often also fill a prescription for Restasis to increase eye moisture.

We use a mailing service which has lowered the price of the drops and increased the quality of service.  They arrive at your door.

LASIK Treatment Coloraod, Fort Collins, Gary Foster MD

The Eye Laser Center of Northern Colorado

How to Choose an Eye Laser Center

It is probably important to bring up the cost of bad LASIK.  When it is time for your vision correction, it is wise to search for a good value, but not advisable to settle for a “bargain.” The discount centers often advertise a ridiculously low price to get you in the door, then they begin to offer features that you really should want until they arrive at a price much higher. I would recommend determining which centers have the highest quality, service, safety, experience, equipment, and surgeon in your region and then compare prices from those few that meet the highest standards.

You want the best laser eye center in your region!

Ask your primary care physician and several different eye doctors who are the best eye surgeons. Then ask your friends which of those few treat their patients with the most respect and compassion and you will start to narrow the field quickly. Then visit your favorite one or two and you will sense a much better fit with one of them. Many patients comment that they get a gut feeling about whether they are in the right place they second they step into a quality oriented center.  That is often where you will find the best care for your eyes at a fair value for the cost of LASIK treatment you invest.

If I can provide more information, please schedule a time to meet with me at my office.

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