Laser Eye Surgery

Picking a clinic to perform laser eye surgery is extremely important. In most cases the surgery will make a permanent change in the patient’s vision, either good or bad.

Some things to look for, besides the cost of surgery, are the extent of the training of the surgeon, the length of time he or she has been performing laser eye surgery, the availability of long term after care if it is needed, the cleanliness of the clinic, and if there have been any adverse events at the clinic. This is a time when the clinic’s track record and reputation are extremely important.

Several major hospitals, including the world famous Mayo Clinic offer laser eye surgery. The procedure is still called elective by most insurance companies so the patient has to pay the entire bill themselves. Charges range from $2,200, per eye, down to half of that, depending on the clinic. Hospitals tend to be the most expensive. There are many good outpatient clinics that provide quality laser eye surgery. Choosing a good clinic is up to the patient and their doctor.

With the growing popularity of the LASIK (Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) method of laser eye surgery, we see a million dollar growth industry with a lot of competition. A patient would be well advised to base their choice of a laser eye surgery clinic on experience rather than a discounted price. There are several possible reasons for offering a low price. One could be that after care is inferior, there is a very short period of time in practice, older models of laser equipment, expensive add on services, or perhaps just to get you in the door. The best clinics will cost more, but will often have the best equipment, the most skillful doctors, and the highest number of successful surgeries.

LASIK eye surgery is now available in nearly all countries in the world that have modern medical facilities. The equipment necessary to perform LASIK is expensive, with newer and better machines coming on the market regularly. Having highly trained surgeons who have experienced at least 5 to 7 years of regularly performing LASIK procedures are most often found connected to hospitals, especially in larger cities. Taking time to locate a clinic and surgeon is time well spent. Once a quality facility has been located, the actual surgery is quickly done. Each eye will only take about 15 minutes to treat. Even so, it is surgery and does have risks.