The National Average Cost of LASIK

So, you think you might like to have LASIK surgery? There are many things to take into consideration when deciding if LASIK is right for you? Is your prescription stable? Are you an ideal candidate? Who is the best surgeon? And high on the list is considering whether the cost of LASIK is the right investment for you.

In the United States, the national average cost of LASIK eye surgery ranges anywhere from $1,500 to $4,500¹ per eye. It’s important that you find out what your actual LASIK cost will be at the LASIK practice you are researching. Once you know your cost of LASIK from a practice, you need to look at your return on investment (ROI) quantitatively but also in the quality of your lifestyle. First, let’s look at the national average cost of LASIK and why it is such a large range.

What is the national average cost of LASIK surgery in the United States?

As we stated earlier, in the United States, the national average cost of LASIK surgery can range from $1,500 to $4,500 per eye, so how do you know how much your LASIK will cost, and why do you see ads promoting “LASIK for $299”?

The first step in evaluating a practice for your laser eye surgery is to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Patients should thoroughly evaluate multiple surgeons before selecting the one who will perform their surgery. It’s ok to be picky. After all, we are talking about surgery on your eyes.

Patients should also compare LASIK price quotes to avoid hidden fees or “starting at” prices. The chance of you actually paying $299 for LASIK surgery is very slim, because the price increases if you have a higher prescription, astigmatism, opt-in for post-operative care plans or enhancement plans, etc.

How do I determine what the cost of my LASIK surgery will be?

Now that you understand the varying pricing models for LASIK surgery, it is important that you do some research to determine what the cost of your surgery will be. When you begin evaluating LASIK eye surgery cost, it is important to make sure you find a practice that understands your unique situation, your vision, lifestyle and your finances, and a surgeon that you trust with your eyes. You will know the practice is taking all of your vision and health concerns into consideration if you have a consultation with the actual surgeon (not an optometrist or a technician) who will be performing your LASIK surgery.

Patients should research different practices and have this comprehensive LASIK consultation with at least two LASIK surgeons before selecting the right fit. Determining the cost of LASIK can be challenging, as it varies based on the practice, their technology and expertise. Some practices will require you to come in for the consultation in order to calculate your cost of LASIK as it is based on your prescriptions, if you have astigmatism, and sometimes what type of technology is used. Other practices have a flat pricing structure, so you can get a straightforward answer over the phone.

Here are some tips when talking with various practices about your cost of LASIK:

• Don’t just look at the price; you need to understand what you are getting for that price to make sure it is an apples-to-apples comparison.
• Ask specifically what type of technology will be used to make the flap during your LASIK procedure. Will it be a blade (microkeratome) or a laser? A laser is today’s standard of care but it requires a significant financial investment on the part of the practice.
• Once you know your flap will be made with a laser find out specifically what laser. There are several and many improvements have been made since the release of the original IntraLase. Dr. Mozayeni introduced the IntaLase laser to Charlotte back in 2003 but has since replaced it with the advanced proven WaveLight FS200.
• Specifically ask how many years your surgeon has been doing LASIK and how often do they perform surgery. You are looking for many years of experience and consistent execution not an occasional patient here and there.
• What postoperative appointments will there be and is there an enhancement policy that will care for you in the future should you have any unexpected vision changes.
• Look carefully and ask questions to avoid any hidden fees or “starting at” prices.
• It is important to consider the lifetime value of LASIK versus the one-time LASIK cost.
• Once you feel good about making this investment in your vision, you need to look into the eye of your potential surgeon and listen to your heart and your ‘gut” to determine if this is the surgeon you trust to do your LASIK surgery.

LASIK Cost Comparison

In the charts below, we help you understand the cost of LASIK, as well as what Providence Eye has to offer.

In this first chart, we compare the costs of LASIK versus a lifetime of contact lenses or glasses. We think you’ll quickly see the return on investment (ROI) in LASIK eye surgery.

This second chart below outlines what is included in the cost of LASIK at Providence Eye. We won’t surprise you with hidden fees like many practices do, but instead we will clearly communicate the flat-rate LASIK price up front. And by the way, we do not increase your cost of LASIK if you have astigmatism or a higher prescription.

At Providence Eye & Laser Specialists, we believe in being straightforward about pricing. We won’t surprise you with additional costs or hidden fees. We understand the cost of LASIK eye surgery must be consideration. We want you to make good medical decisions and good financial decisions.