How Much Does Laser Eye Surgery Cost?

Laser eye surgery more commonly refer to as LASIK surgery is a procedure that can take less than perfect vision and restore it again. This surgery has a very high success rate and most people that have it done are able to see quite well without the need for corrective lenses. LASIK eye surgery was first introduced to the public in 1990 and it has been very popular for those that can afford it ever since.

Laser eye surgery is most suitable for those that have certain vision problems. Those with near and far sightedness are in luck because they both qualify. When the eyes are working correctly light pours through the lens of the eye and onto the retina where the light then bends or refracts. The retina is what focuses within the eye. People that have vision problems usually have a problem with the light refracting on the retina. For many reasons the light doesn’t get that far or even goes too far. When you wear corrective lenses it causes the light to fall on the retina in order to focus properly.

For those that have myopia, the light overshoots the retina and light hits the cornea instead, which cannot sharpen the image. When LASIK is performed, the cornea is reconfigured so that the light gets to the retina this correcting the eye’s ability to focus. The material in the center of the cornea is thinned out and removed. In hypermetropia the light is unable to get as far as the retina. In this situation material is removed from the edges of the cornea and allowing the light to reach the retina.

When surgery begins, pain medication is put right into the eye. A few minutes later, tape is used to keep the eyes open and then a speculum is inserted in order to force the lids to separate. A tiny incision is made on the cornea so a flap can be created. The laser moves in and removes the excess cornea material. The tiny flap is then put back into place and stitched up. The whole process only takes a few minutes and the pain experienced is minimal. There is little chance of a mistake due to the fact that the laser is programmed and moves with precision automatically.

Those who have had the same eyesight for a long period of time is a perfect candidate for the surgery. Usually young people’s prescriptions change quite frequently so they might not be able to benefit from the surgery. An individual with a thinner than average cornea cannot have the surgery done, either because removing material from a thin cornea can result in permanent damage. Those with the vision loss because of age called presbyopia and those with an astigmatism can recieve good results from having the surgery performed.

Health insurance will usually not pay for laser corective surgery. There are some doctors that will accept payments, however, most want to be paid for the entire amount prior to surgery. To ensure confidence in your decision, find a doctor that has performed many surgeries. Don’t chose a doctor that advertises a cheap rates and has not performed many surgeries. Laser surgery will cost around $1500 USD at the least and $3500 at most, so be careful of added expenses after surgery by a doctor who charges less.

This is major surgery. It does take some preparation to have it done and if you wear contacts you won’t be allowed to wear them for a while before surgery. This may be just a few days or perhaps up to a month or so. After surgery, eye makeup must be avoided and a guard is placed over the eye to protect it while sleeping. There are drops to use in the eye periodically to prevent dry eye and there’s a chance that you may have to take an antibiotic to prevent infection.

Many people see relatively well right after the surgery, but it may take some time for others however, about ninety percent of those having laser eye surgery are able to see clearly without having to wear corrective lenses.