Can You Save Money By Having LASIK?
October 4, 2024
Do you want LASIK? LASIK is one of the most popular elective procedures in America.
Millions have undergone this safe, effective procedure and now enjoy clear, sharp vision without glasses or contacts. Choosing LASIK is an investment in better eyesight, but it also has some surprising financial benefits.
Keep reading to discover if you can save money by having LASIK and why that could improve your life!
How Much Does LASIK Cost?
The cost of LASIK varies between patients. Your final, individual costs will depend on the degree of correction you need and the type of technology your surgeon uses for the procedure.
Patients with stronger prescriptions can expect to pay more for LASIK than those with prescriptions that aren't as high. Because LASIK is an elective procedure, insurance does not usually cover it.
However, many patients use an FSA or an HSA to help cover the procedure's cost. You can also consider financing options, like Care Credit.
Select Eye Care is a partner with Care Credit, which helps ensure you can achieve the vision of your dreams without having to wait to save up the funds.
One-Time Investment
You'll only need to pay for LASIK one time. The vision improvements from LASIK are permanent, and there is no chance that your vision will return to how it was before having the procedure.
In rare cases, patients may need an additional procedure after LASIK to improve their results. That's not typical, however, and there is no need for periodic touch-ups to maintain vision improvements.
Although LASIK is a permanent vision correction procedure, it cannot prevent visual changes due to aging, like presbyopia or cataracts. Presbyopia is an age-related eye condition that occurs when the eye's natural lens loses its flexibility, making it more challenging to see things up close.
LASIK is a procedure that corrects refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, but it can't prevent naturally occurring changes to other parts of the eye.
Are you considering LASIK?
Cost Savings Over Time
LASIK requires a one-time cost. Although it can seem like it's expensive, it's really not.
Getting LASIK means saving money and cost savings over time, especially if you use financing to pay for the procedure. If you wear glasses or contacts, you may see your eye doctor for an eye exam annually to ensure your prescription is current.
You also have to order new contacts regularly, especially if you use disposables. You may also need a backup pair of glasses for the days you don't wear glasses.
But you may not realize that, on average, you're spending about $500 annually on glasses, contact lenses, and their necessary accessories. Once you eliminate these costs, LASIK starts paying for itself rather quickly.
Think about everything you could buy if you no longer had to worry about paying for visual aids and everything that goes with them. Once you have LASIK, you'll own your vision and everything it stands for.
Save for a new vacation, splurge on the restaurant everyone is talking about, or dip your toe into a new hobby. After LASIK, you'll have better vision, but you'll have more money to invest in the things that matter most.
Other Benefits of LASIK
Financial benefits aren't the only reasons to pursue LASIK. Undergoing a laser vision correction procedure can improve your vision and your quality of life.
Optimal Vision Correction
Many LASIK patients find that the vision correction they get from LASIK is better than they had with glasses or contacts. It's not an accident that most patients end up with 20/20 vision or better.
LASIK offers correction of refraction errors, consistently sharp and clear vision, with no risk of smudged glasses or contacts that feel dry or cloudy.
Better Self-Image
No longer needing glasses can make you feel better about your appearance. LASIK is a chance to show your whole face to the world.
Not only will that leave you selfie-ready all the time, but being glasses-free may boost your confidence for dating or job interviews or when enjoying activities like exercise or time outdoors.
No More Hassle from Glasses or Contacts
Clear vision without glasses or contacts can significantly affect how you approach exercise or travel. You won't have to worry about keeping track of glasses and packing contacts on vacation.
You can enjoy the beach without worrying if you can see when you go swimming, and there are no more concerns about glasses fogging up when you come inside in cold weather. With LASIK, you'll have crisp, clear vision without worrying about visual aids standing in your way.
Less Plastic Waste
Millions of disposable contact lenses and their plastic packaging end up in landfills yearly. LASIK can dramatically reduce the landfill waste you create by reducing the plastic you discard.
What to Expect During LASIK
Another benefit of LASIK is that the time investment for the procedure is relatively low. LASIK is an outpatient procedure, meaning you'll go home after it's over.
LASIK doesn't require general anesthesia, although you can ask for a mild sedative to keep you calm and relaxed during the procedure. Due to the numbing eye drops given during LASIK, you cannot drive yourself home.
You'll need a friend or family member to bring you home after the procedure. Before LASIK begins, you'll receive numbing eye drops to ensure you won't feel any pain during the procedure.
Your LASIK surgeon at Select Eye Care will use a special instrument to hold your eyes open so there is no risk that you will blink during the vision correction procedure. They will then use a femtosecond laser to create a small flap in the cornea.
Your LASIK surgeon will open the flap and use an excimer laser to reshape the cornea and correct any refractive errors. After reshaping the cornea, they will close the flap and cover your cornea. The flap can heal without stitches.
LASIK only takes about 30 minutes for both eyes. You may notice visual improvements immediately, and your vision will continue improving as your eyes heal in the days and weeks following the procedure.
Are you ready to invest in a lifetime of clear eyesight? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Select Eye Care in Elkridge and Towson, MD, now! Can't you imagine what better vision could be like?