Which LASIK Eye Surgery Is Right?
Which LASIK Eye Surgery Is Right for Me and How Much Would it Cost?
There are three kinds of people: those who love flaunting their quirky and cool glasses, second who swear by contact lenses and the third group consists of those who can’t wait to get rid of glasses/contact lens. If you fall in the third category, then LASIK is your savior.
LASIK, which stands for Laser in-situ Keratomileusis, is a corrective surgery used to fix common vision problems such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness or astigmatism. It uses specialized laser known as ‘excimer’ laser which reshapes the cornea to give better, clear and focused vision. Excimer laser precisely removes extremely tiny amounts of tissue without disturbing adjacent tissues.
Types of LASIK Eye Surgery
There are three types of LASIK procedures. Consultation with your doctor will help in determining which one will give you the best results.
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- Conventional LASIK:
This primarily uses your prescription for contact lenses or eye-glasses. Based on that, laser settings are determined to reshape the cornea. The level and accuracy of vision correction is similar to that of the familiar procedure of choosing glasses in a vision test – “which offers better clarity: this or that?”
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- Custom LASIK:
Custom LASIK allows surgeons to customize laser treatment according to patients’ individual eyes. It uses Wave Front technology that creates a customized map of all unique attributes of your eye. This further enables your surgeon to address unique visual correctional requirements of an individual. Surgeons can achieve sharper and clearer vision by addressing higher order aberrations and correcting refractive errors, including subtle vision problems.
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- Bladeless LASIK:
Bladeless LASIK eliminates the need of blades to cut corneal flaps before surgery. It uses a gentle laser instead of a manual blade to create a uniform and precise corneal flap. The laser is operated at an extremely high speed and is controlled by a computer, which allows the tissue to be targeted and divided at a molecular level without damaging the surrounding tissue. Recovery time is faster since the flap is more accurate and falls back naturally into place.
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- Costs of LASIK Eye Surgery:
The cost of LASIK surgery varies according to geographic location, surgical experience of the doctor and technology used. Avoid those who present extremely low prices and shady offers. Risking the safety of your eyes to save a few bucks may end up costing you more in the long run.On an average, LASIK eye surgery (bladed) costs about $1,700 per eye. Alternatively, state-of-the-art technologies such as bladeless Custom-Wavefront LASIK can be around $2,500 per eye. Depending on eye’s health and magnitude of vision problem, the cost may even go up to $4,000 per eye.
Typically, insurance does not cover the cost of laser eye surgery unless your job requires perfect vision. Combat fighters and athletes usually qualify for full insurance cover. Feel free to ask your insurance company for negotiated rates and membership discounts that are applicable for AAA holders or those in military. US employees have an FSA, HSA, or HRA to cover health expenses with income-tax-free accounts. The cost of laser eye surgery is an eligible expense for all these accounts. Check with your tax preparer if you qualify for the same.
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Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
