LASIK Eye Surgery Requires Careful Consideration
If you are thinking about having LASIK eye surgery consider the fact that some people may be unsuitable for this operation. LASIK surgery should possibly not be conducted on you if:
Your career could be subsequently placed on the line as a result of an eye operation. Various jobs implicitly state that eye modifications are prohibited, therefore it is imperative that you talk with your employer first.
Money is hard to come by at the present time. Currently, the majority of medical insurance doesn’t pay for surgeries of a refractive nature. Costs appear to be falling but still remain very high.
You are adverse to taking risks. A number of patients always receive particular complications. Additionally, since no long-term studies on LASIK have been performed you are effectively a guinea pig.
Your eyes are still changing yearly. If your glasses prescription has been modified within the last year constant surgical revisions would prove too costly and damaging to the eye. Eyes that are typically still changing are found in people 20 years of age or younger, those with diseases like diabetes that cause hormone imbalances, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people taking medication that affects their clarity of vision.
You are an active contact sport participant. Wrestling, boxing or martial arts involve many strong hits to the face and in particular the eyes.
You have a disease or medications that mean any wounds you receive will heal slowly. Particular ailments like states of immunodeficiency (e.g. HIV), autoimmune disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus), and some medications (e.g. steroids and retinoic acid) can stop an eye healing after refractive surgery has been administered.
Your age is not 18 or older, since under this age this procedure is illegal.
Surgical safety and efficacy has not been established with people who have particular diseases. Talk with your doctor if you have a potential medical background associated with:
herpes zoster (shingles) or herpes simplex
disease of the eye (e.g. inflammations of the eye; iritis/ uveitis)
If you are considering having eye surgery your doctor will need to run tests to see if you have other risk factors like:
Thin corneas. This clear covering over the iris of the eye is what is generally modified in refractive surgery since it holds the most power with regards to the eyes ability to focus. If thin then complications that could result in blindness increase in probability.
Dry eyes. This condition tends to be promoted by LASIK surgery.
Blepharitis. This inflammation of your eyelids and associated crusty deposits on the eyelashes can further your chances of getting an inflamed and infected cornea during the post-op recovery period.
Past refractive surgery such as PRK, RK or LASIK may prohibit further surgery to the eyes. When this is the case you have to consult your doctor about your specific situation.
Oversized pupils. Evaluations should be made in professional dark rooms. People who are young or are on particular medications may under dim lighting have larger than normal pupils. Such eyes are prone to symptoms such as halos, starbursts, glare or double vision (ghost images) following surgery. For some patients these visual complications can end up being highly debilitating.
Considerations About the Cost of Lasik Eye Surgery
Lasik eye surgery is very safe when compared with other types of vision correction surgery. The problem is that like most other types of surgery lasik can be quite expensive and many people might have problems affording lasik surgery. If you’re considering having the lasik procedure done to correct your vision then you should do some homework to find out what’s involved with the cost of lasik eye surgery.
The standard among eye surgery centers is to quote lasik prices on a per eye basis. Since this is the case you may be wondering what the average cost per eye is for lasik surgery. Unfortunately this is not an easy question to answer since the cost of lasik eye surgery can be influenced by many different factors. Keep in mind that the supper cheap prices of $500 per eye that you may see advertised are often not valid for most people.
Some of the factors involved in the cost of lasik eye surgery are as follows:
The first cost factor you’ll run into is the cost of pre-operative evaluations. This is critically important to determine if you are a good candidate for lasik and to tell if there are any potential complications to your lasik surgery. It will also help the surgeon determine what type of eye surgery is most appropriate for your individual circumstances. Many lasik surgeons offer free evaluations so you can get the opinion and costs from several doctors before making a decision on who will do your lasik eye surgery.
Another cost factor is the type of equipment being used in the eye surgery. Lasers, computerized eye scanners, tear analysis and eye tracking equipment are all expensive and some of the laser manufacturers actually get a residual every time the surgeon uses their laser. These equipment expenses all impact the cost of lasik eye surgery. Each eye surgery center may use different equipment and the costs can vary dramatically.
To save yourself some money on your eye surgery look for lasik discounts, but be cautious as well when considering these discount offers. You’ll need to read all of the fine print to know what is included and more importantly what is not included in discount lasik prices. In some cases the discounts won’t be available to everyone and some discounts don’t include important pre-operative and post-operative testing and follow up. This can end up making your lasik eye surgery more risky, which is never a good idea.
Based on what eye surgery center you choose the cost of lasik eye surgery can vary by as much as $1500 per eye. This is a huge difference so be sure to shop around and have consultations with several lasik providers prior to making your decision. And don’t forget to read the fine print if you’re considering discount lasik eye surgery to keep yourself safe.
What are the Hidden Costs of Lasik Eye Surgery?
It is very important to choose an experienced LASIK surgeon in order to make sure that your Lasik eye surgery is done effectively and with the correct safe guards, remember it is your eyes if anything goes wrong. Quite often Lasik eye surgery centers that are offering discounts attract a lot of patients, but beware of such centers because sometimes they may try to hide the actual cost and just display the charge for part of the procedure. After getting your surgery, you might find that there are a lot of other additional charges such as for consultations, follow-up care, etc. As a result of this your total bill could well exceed the amount that an honest well-experienced Lasik surgeon would have charged in the first place!
In this article, I have listed a few points that you should consider when it comes to the cost of Lasik eye surgery.
1.Do not get caught by the non-refundable deposit gimmick. These are nothing more than a ploy to get you hooked. If you do pay before hand you may find it is really a fee to learn the details of the surgery that the Lasik eye surgery center offers. It doesn’t matter if you find out later that the center is not a good one, they have got your money and if you decide not to go ahead with the surgery there is no refund. Always remember that reputable Lasik eye surgery centers will never ask for any fee to give you the necessary details about their procedures and practices.
2.You must make sure that the advertised cost is for the entire procedure including all preparation and after care. The cost must not be only for a part of procedure. Otherwise you might find that the actual bill will be a much higher amount than you were quoted.
3.You must make sure that the low cost of Lasik eye surgery being advertised covers the follow-up care as well. The follow-up care visits shouldn’t be restricted to just one or two. It should also include any problem that might arise following the surgery.
4.Also make sure that the low price includes all the necessary medical care for up to one year after your surgery. If any additional fees are charged then make sure you are aware of what they will be.
The overall cost of Lasik surgery is reasonable and is falling as more people have this type of eye surgery. Rather than going to the discount surgeries it is always recommended that you go to a reputable eye surgeon in order to get the best results.
Don’t worry, you will not be overcharged, also most surgeons now have payment plans available to fit even the most restricted budget.
