Contact lenses can get expensive, not to mention the fact that you get tired of having to put them into and out of your eyes every single day. With the advent of laser surgery in the last decade, more and more people are discovering that they can have 20/20 vision (or better) without ever having to wear glasses again.
Laser surgery is expensive and it’s not generally covered by insurance because it’s considered an elective procedure. Some insurance companies will cover a very small portion, leaving a general cost somewhere between $3000 and $4000 dollars. So immediately, it’s a cash investment of significant portion.
Many clinics do offer financial payment plans, but they are usually one or two year plans that allow you to spread out the payments. This option can still cost you about$180 to $400 per billing period, whether it is by the month or quarter.
If the cost isn’t something to turns the option off to you immediately, it’s good to weigh the facts. Everyone is a candidate for laser corrective surgery. There are stages to the evaluation, including the amount of correction obtainable by corrective eyewear, shape of the eye, health of the eye, and condition of the eye.
Following the evaluation process, the specialist can determine which type of laser surgery, if any, they would recommend.
The procedure is done as outpatient care. The eyes are anaesthetized and held open. You’ll feel some pressure when the laser surgery begins, and you might even experience a few moments of blindness.
It is not uncommon for patients to experience blurriness for a day or two following, but most patients notice an immediate (if not profound) change in their vision when the surgery is over.
Laser surgery isn’t a guarantee of correction. However, doctors, as well as your own optometrist can never promise 20/20 vision at the surgery’s completion. You may still need some form of corrective lenses. Laser surgery is a popular and viable alternative when compared to the lifetime investment in the cost of new corrective eyewear every two or three years.
Ultimately, the procedure is not a guaranteed. The decision to continue with contact lenses or try laser corrective surgery is up to you and your doctor. The surgery has proven successful for hundreds of patients, but contact lenses are less expensive in the immediate time frames and don’t involve surgery or lasers. Check out your options. Consult your optometrist and decide which option might be the best for you.