The Real Cost of Lasik

Lasik surgery is a quick and quite painless procedure; the operation on both eyes takes less than thirty minutes. Numbing drops are placed in the eye, so there are no needles to worry about. for your comfort. Most patients report having improved vision almost immediately after the surgery. The only concern most people have is the cost of lasik, which is not normally covered by insurance.

Why?

The reason that most insurers (private and public) will not usually cover the Cost of Lasik is because it is considered elective surgery. Lasik is essentially a convenience procedure; it won't address serious vision problems such as cataracts or macular degeneration (such surgery for those problems is usually covered in whole or part). Lasik allows many (not all) individuals to discontinue the use of corrective lenses by making adjustments to their corneas, which may have become distorted over time.

This said, there are some major employers, such as Microsoft, who offer "subsidized" health plans, part of which may be "converted" for this purpose; in addition, if you are a member of the U.S. Armed Services, you may qualify for coverage in full or part.

How Much?

Nationwide, the Cost of Lasik can vary from $300 per eye to over $4000; in the Denver, Colorado metro area, costs range are a bit narrower, ranging from $500 to $1500 per eye. Factors that affect the cost of lasik include:

- Skill and experience of the surgeons
- Technology and tools (more recent methods are generally more expensive)
- Location of the facilities (clinics in downtown Denver have higher overhead costs than those in outlying areas)
- Condition of the patient
- Levels of pre-operative testing and care (including prescriptions)
- Need for and number of post-operative follow-up procedures

On one hand, it pays to do some comparative shopping; on the other hand, "cheap" lasik is usually not a bargain. In fact, there are lasik practices that specialize in nothing more than undoing the mistakes of unqualified practitioners.

What Are My Options?

If you cannot pay for the entire Cost of Lasik out of pocket, do not despair; many highly-qualified lasik providers along the Front Range offer generous financing that can be tailored to every budget. This incidentally is another area in which it is in your best interest to pay extra for the services of a more highly skilled and experienced surgeon; when such costs are spread out over the course of several months, the difference between low-cost "bargain" services and those of a top-flight surgeon are miniscule.