LASIK Costs: What Should I Expect?

A woman’s eye with a laser beam pointed at it

If you are seriously considering LASIK, the one thing holding you back may be the cost of surgery. Unlike glasses and contact lenses, which eventually need to be replaced, LASIK is typically a one-time procedure that permanently improves your vision. Because it is a surgical procedure, requiring a skilled surgeon and advanced technology, LASIK does cost more than glasses and contact lenses. However, you will only need to pay the vision correction fee once. With contact lenses, you will need to continue to purchase new lenses and cleaning solutions for the rest of your life. If you wear glasses, they may need to be replaced if the lenses are scratched or the glasses are lost. In the end, the cost of LASIK is probably equal to – or even less than – the lifetime of costs associated with contacts and glasses. At Laser Vision Correction Center of New Jersey, Dr. Kenneth S. Miller works to keep LASIK costs affordable for our patients. Contact our West Orange practice to schedule a consultation for your personalized LASIK quote.

Factors that Affect the Cost of LASIK

There are a number of factors that affect the price of LASIK surgery. That is why patients should schedule a LASIK screening at our practice. During the screening, we can determine the degree of correction that is needed and the type of technology that will be used so we can provide you with an accurate LASIK quote. In general, the following will affect the price of LASIK.

• Degree of refractive error: Patients with higher degrees of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are more difficult to treat. This may increase the cost of surgery.
• The presence of astigmatism: Patients who have nearsightedness or farsightedness, along with astigmatism, may have to pay more for LASIK surgery.
• Technology: We offer advanced LASIK technology, including use of the Intralase® laser and custom wavefront LASIK. If you elect to use these technologies during surgery, the cost of LASIK will be higher.
• Surgeon: The skill of the surgeon plays a role in the cost of LASIK surgery. Patients should choose an experienced and trusted LASIK surgeon who has a record of achieving excellent results.

How to Pay for LASIK Surgery

Many patients do not want to pay for the full cost of LASIK out of pocket, and instead prefer to break the cost of surgery into more affordable monthly payments. These patients may wish to pay for surgery with a CareCredit℠account or a personal credit card. In these cases, it is always advised that patients choose a plan with a low interest rate.

Patients who wish to reduce the cost of LASIK surgery should consider opening a flexible spending account (FSA) with their employer. This plan allows employees to set aside a certain amount of pre-tax income into a spending account that can be used on health expenses such as LASIK. Because the income is not taxed, employees are essentially getting themselves a discount on the price of LASIK surgery.

Patients can also pay for surgery with cash or checks.

To schedule your LASIK consultation, contact our practice today.