Laser Eye Surgery Costs and The Presurgical Consultation
Obtaining the full Laser eye surgery cost should be part of any presurgical consultation – which is a very important part of the excimer laser surgery process. You can expect the following issues to be addressed during this consultation, and it is important that you are comfortable with the resolution of each issue – with the full cost of lasik eye surgery being integral to that process.
Refraction. The doctor must determine whether you are a suitable candidate for the procedure. This depends on a variety of factors, including your age and occupation, but the doctor will be concerned primarily with your refractive (focusing) error – that is, your glasses or contact lens prescription. The laser eye surgery cost is not really impacted by the level or amount of laser treatment you need as the time taken for most operations is about the same.
The doctor’s recommendation to proceed or not will depend on an assessment of all the factors. An initial consultation may be scheduled to determine if you are a good candidate, with final measurements taken at a later consultation.
If you wear soft lenses, you will need to stop wearing them at least one week before the final consultation; if you wear hard or gas-permeable contact lenses, stop wearing them at least six weeks before the final consultation. This is very important, because contact lenses can temporarily alter the shape of the cornea and the natural shape of your cornea must be accurately determined prior to the excimer procedure.
The cost of your contacts should also be borne in mind when determining if the laser eye surgery cost is within your budget.
Complete Examination. Your doctor will perform a complete eye examination to determine the overall health of your eyes. Certain eye conditions may make you less suitable, or even ineligible, for the procedure. Included in this examination should be several tests, all of which are entirely painless, including a computer-assisted measurement of the contour of your cornea, known as corneal topography, a measurement of your pupil size in the dark, and a measurement of the thickness of your cornea. This process is normally outside package for the full laser eye surgery cost as it is still feasible at this point that you will be unsuitable for the surgery.
Doctor’s Experience and Bedside Manner. You should meet the surgeon and make sure that you feel very comfortable with his or her education, bedside manner, and refractive surgery experience. Is the doctor board certified in ophthalmology? How long has the doctor been performing excimer laser surgery? How many LASIK or PRK procedures has he or she performed? How many procedures does the doctor perform each week? Does the doctor enjoy a good reputation in the community? You need to have complete confidence in the surgeon who will perform the procedure.
Pros, Cons, and Alternatives. The advantages, disadvantages, and alternatives to excimer laser surgery must be thoroughly discussed. What are the chances of actually achieving your desired results – good vision without glasses or contact lenses? The potential benefits may not be enough to justify the laser eye treatments cost to you. Be sure to understand what problems might arise. And remember that non-surgical treatments – glasses or contact lenses (which will obviously be cheaper than the laser eye surgery costs) – always remain an option.
Informed Consent. You will be asked to sign papers confirming that you understand the risks and benefits of, and alternatives to, excimer laser surgery. These papers may contain words or ideas that you do not understand. Consider taking the papers home for slow, careful review before signing them. Also consider having a relative or friend review the papers to help you better understand them. Do not sign the papers until you completely understand all the words and concepts. These papers are legally binding and are designed to ensure that you understand the important aspects of the procedure. You do not have to sign the papers at the time of your initial consultation, although you cannot undergo the surgery until you do sign them.
Cost of lasik eye surgery. The full laser eye surgery cost and all financial arrangements should be openly discussed. Often the fee can be paid by credit card, or your doctor may have a financing plan. Beware of fees that are unusually high or low. The fees for this procedure are not regulated in any way. Abnormally low fees raise questions of quality, and abnormally high fees may not be justified.
