LASIK Costs

Introduction - What influences the cost of LASIK?

As noted above, most patients LASIK never bought by medical services, so the comparison to the more familiar process of buying a new car can bring perspective.

If the only consideration was price, then $ 9455 Chevrolet Aveo would no doubt be a top selling cars. Instead, the average number of vehicles sold more than $ 30000, and many luxury cars top 50000 U.S. dollars due to a combination of technology, performance, security, reputation and reliability that buyers find attractive. The cost varies LASIK for many of the same reasons.

When analyzing the cost of LASIK, it is necessary to clearly define exactly what is included in the price, and then to understand the factors influencing the price of LASIK.

What is included in the price of LASIK?

Preoperative examination: A preoperative examination is an obvious need. However, some centers discount charge separately for the review in order to quote a lower price for surgery, so it is important to verify that the preoperative examination is not an extra charge.

The procedure: LASIK, IntraLASIK, PRK, LASEK or Epi-LASIK.

Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops: These can cost as much as $ 150 if not included.

The postoperative care: Once again, sometimes discount centers detailing postoperative care separately, so it is important to verify that the postoperative care includes document and duration.

Retreatments: A second procedure is often performed when the first does not fully correct vision. If not included, a reprocessing could cost as much as the first treatment. Therefore, it may be wise to document the maximum cost of reprocessing before making a commitment.

Factors that influence the cost of LASIK are numerous.

General Office: This includes rent, staff salaries and benefits, computers, telephones and other infrastructure elements. Perhaps the greatest source of variation is in personnel, as high-end practices often employ more costly certified ophthalmic assistants and certified ophthalmic technicians to assist in the preoperative tests and surgery.

Supplies: Many disposable supplies are used in the laser vision correction, including medicines, sterile gloves, gowns and drapes, masks, shoe covers and microkeratome blades.

Insurance: In the current legal environment, even surgeons who have never had a malpractice claim must pay several thousand dollars a month for malpractice insurance, plus the costs of securing his team.

Pre-op preparation evidence: proof thorough preoperative is essential to identify risk factors and prevent problems. However, is quite costly in terms of time and level of detail varies greatly between practices.

Team: The instruments used for testing important as the corneal topography, corneal pachymetry, keratometry, tear film analysis and pupil size are available at different price points. For example, some surgeons measure pupil size of the night off lights room, holding a black sheet of paper with small circles of known size next to the eyes, shining a small flashlight in your eyes and visually estimate the pupil size to millimetre nearer. Others spend thousands of dollars in sophisticated instruments to measure the nearest 1/10th of a millimeter under strictly controlled lighting.

Surgeon always care: In the traditional private practice, the surgeon provides patient care. The process begins with a query that includes preliminary tests and a one-on-one discussion with the surgeon. If the results look promising, then the next step is a thorough review with the surgeon and another one-on-one discussion of the results. If surgery is advisable, continuity of care is maintained, as the surgeon performs the procedure and provides postoperative care.

Because a surgeon’s time is valuable, business-oriented discount centers have reduced costs by eliminating the surgeon most of the process. The initial consultation, examination preoperative and postoperative care are delegated to others. Very often, the only time that the patient never sees the surgeon is under the laser for the procedure itself. The surgeons at these centers are often employed as independent contractors and paid for each case. Known in industry jargon as “shooters”, many of these surgeons travel between offices and perform the surgery for several centres.

Laser: The excimer laser used in laser vision correction are expensive, with a price range of $ 300000 to $ 400000. Contracts for maintenance will cost about $ 50000 per year, and periodic updates are often higher at a price of 100000 dollars. Therefore, practices that invest in the latest technology often applied higher rates.

Royalty fees: With the exception of NIDEK, all manufacturers of office for a laser eye surgeon rate royalties for the use of lasers. For conventional treatments, these fees range from $ 100 to $ 150 per eye, and custom are more costly treatments, usually about $ 250 per eye. Largely due to lack of royalty rates, NIDEK is the favorite discount laser centers.

Advertising: The majority of surgical practice with significant volume advertise heavily, with monthly advertising budgets of $ 10000 to $ 100000 or more. Depending on local market factors and the success of a campaign, advertising can represent for $ 100 to $ 300 of eye-cost per procedure.

Custom wavefront technology: Custom wavefront-guided laser treatments are one of the main reasons for this upward trend in prices of LASIK in recent years. In addition to the higher royalty rates associated with personalized treatments, offering practical technology wavefront must invest approximately U.S. $ 75000 for a wavefront analyzer and as much as $ 150000 for upgrades related to laser technology front wave.

IntraLase: Increased use of IntraLase laser for the creation of the LASIK flap is another reason for the upward trend in prices of LASIK. The IntraLase laser is very expensive (about $ 425000) and requires its own $ 40000 annual maintenance contract, as well as $ 160 for an eye-rate cones of glass used in the procedure. Not surprisingly, practices that invest in IntraLase must charge more to offset the cost of your investment.
Commentary

Perhaps this is a test of laser vision correction of the high rate of success that some patients store discount for surgery. After all, that discount stores heart or brain surgery? More likely, commercial negotiation is simply due to lack of familiarity with the many factors influencing prices, which can lead to the erroneous assumption that all suppliers are the same. Once again a car analogy will help provide proper perspective on prices.

Look at the big picture: Almost everyone is excited to drive home a new car. Unfortunately, by the time the car leaves the dealer’s lot, has depreciated by more than the cost of quality LASIK, and will continue to lose value for many years to come. What’s more, some relatively frivolous options more costly than the difference between the low end and high-end LASIK. After all, would it not be better to forgo the $ 995 package of chromium in a new Ford Fusion and, instead of upgrading their eye surgery with the highest standards?

LASIK provides long-term value: Unlike cars, which continually lose courage, vision correction laser is an investment in better vision that leads to enormous long-term savings over eyeglasses and contact lenses, plus benefits lifestyle that have made it so popular.

You get what you pay for, so use common sense: Sure, you can get a good deal on a Lexus 56000 dollars, just as it is possible to find a good price to $ 9500 Chevy Aveo. But you can not buy a new Lexus for $ 9,500. Nor can we find surgeon-provided care, preoperative tests detailed in the top of the platform instruments, a flap IntraLase, and wavefront-guided custom laser treatment for bargain basement prices.

LASIK eye surgery is. The only thing to consider is what’s best for their eyes. There are millions of ways to save money they are better than having cheap eye surgery. Of course, LASIK is very popular in part because the results are generally very good, regardless of their surgeon or center. But make no mistake, state of the art technology in the hands of an experienced surgeon aware produces a better vision of obsolete technology in fewer hands.

Find the best surgeon and finance, if necessary. When comparing apples with apples, the price difference between surgeons usually small. However, if faced with a decision between a more experienced surgeon with a higher price and a less experienced surgeon with a lower price, always choose the best surgeon and obtain financing, if necessary. Virtually all LASIK practices offer financing and even in the high-end providers, the monthly payments are quite affordable.

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