Posts Tagged ‘laser surgery’

If you are thinking about lasik laser eye surgery procedure, probably the next thing in your mind is how much does it going to cost you. Unfortunately the price is going to differ widely depending upon many different factors. There are a lot of factors that determine the price.

Geographical locations is one of them. Depends on where you are. For examples in the USA Beverly Hills laser eye surgery is going to cost differently from Pennsylvania lasik eye surgery.

Treatment facility is another factor. The cost of eye surgery at the hospital is going to be different from a specialized eye treatment center and again different from a small private clinic.

A treatment center with good reputation and famous eye doctors with cost you more than the regular hospital. Of course the treatment facility and the doctors credential will determine the price too.

You might be wondering, is there a typical price?

There is an average price above all the other factors. Normally for the laser procedure each eye would cost around $2000 dollars. This is the base price and you will not find much variation across the board.

Those factors that are mentioned above that makes the price differences.These factors such as local taxes, geographical locations, the qualifications of the surgeon performing the surgery and the royalties that the surgeon would have to pay. Nevertheless the lasik procedure price normally be within the range.

Would there be an extra cost?

Under normal circumstances, the cost that are quoted to you during consultation are pretty much the total cost that you would have to pay. Other additional cost incurred if any, would be the follow up treatments, post surgery medications if there is any complications involved.

Are there a Discount Price?

Well, eye surgeons are running a business. Just like any other business there are a lot of competition around and they have to be competitive in order to stay open. Therefore they do offer various forms of discounts to patients.

Check your local yellow pages, mail in coupons, newspapers or the internet for lasik eye surgery coupons and discounts. Find the one that you like and arrange for an appointment and consultation.

Some lasik surgery doctors may give discounts to patients who pay cash instead of arranging for financing.

If you are above 65 you might get a senior citizen discounts at some lasik surgery centers. Be sure to inquire about the discounts during consultation.

Can You Find a Bargain?

If you don’t mind traveling to other cities to find bargain for lasik surgery, then internet is the best place for you to do bargain hunting. As mentioned above there is a price disparities between different geographical locations.

It would be great if you could get a bargain at a city that you always wanted to travel. You could kill two birds with one stone. Go for a vacation and come back with a new vision.

Is LASIK Surgery an option for you?

Many patients are very satisfied with the improved quality of life that they experience after LASIK Surgery. Read on to decide whether LASIK Surgery is right for you. 

The different types of LASIK Surgery

There are two basic types of surgery: Standard LASIK and Custom LASIK. With either type, the preparation work and post-operative procedures are similar. The difference between the procedures involves the customization of the laser.

Standard LASIK

Prior to the scheduled procedure date, the eye surgeon meets with patient to re-test for certain eye problems and diseases. When it’s confirmed that the patient meets the requirements, a procedure date is set.

On the day of the procedure, the eye doctor may perform another corneal topography to confirm that nothing has changed that would require changing the procedure. Three types of eye drops are then administered. The drops anesthetize the eye, protect the eye from post-operative inflammation and protect the eye from infection.

Next, the patient reclines and the laser is positioned overhead with the eye surgeon above it. To remove the flap, the patient’s eye must first be stabilized. The eye is kept from blinking by placing it into a restrainer. Suction is administered to the eyeball and the microkeratome makes one swift slice across the top of the cornea. The resulting flap (which should still be hinged to the eye) is pulled away with tiny tweezers.

The laser then emits a pre-determined number of laser pulses to remove the excess tissue, a process which takes literally seconds. The flap is pulled back into place and saline solution clears the eye of any debris. The eye is covered and the procedure is finished unless the other eye is receiving a LASIK Surgery treatment.

Custom LASIK Surgery

In standard LASIK, the computer inside the laser determines the number and location of laser pulses based solely on the patient’s prescription. With custom LASIK, the eye surgeon creates a three-dimensional image of the eye. The image results are then fed into the laser’s computer and the patient receives a laser treatment that is truly customized to that eye.

Risks and complications

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with LASIK Surgery. The procedure may under- or over-treat the eye. Under-treatments can be corrected with additional surgery however over treatment generally results in the patient needing to continue wearing corrective lenses. Loss of vision or compromised vision, especially at night, are other risks. Dry eye syndrome can develop. And vision that has been surgically corrected may decline over time. Another serious risk involves using an inexperienced ophthalmologist.

Tips on selecting a LASIK Surgery surgeon

Get referrals from people you trust and then make arrangements to interview several candidates.

Make the most of the pre-procedure consultation. Prepare a list of questions to ask each surgeon and record the answers. It’s important to understand what care the ophthalmologist intends to provide during all stages of surgery: before, during and afterwards as well as all costs.

Remember that low cost doesn’t mean top quality. Your eyesight is far too valuable to allow cost to be the determining factor.

Information on Corrective Eye Surgery

Several types of correct eye surgery exist today and these different types of corrective eye surgery fall under two main categories: Excimer Laser procedures and Non-Excimer laser procedures. As is the case with other conditions that affect the body, major technological advances have been made in recent years in the field of corrective eye surgery. The following is a brief introduction to the two categories.

Excimer Laser Procedures

An Excimer laser is a tool that was approved for the treatment of nearsightedness ranging in severity from mild to moderate. Use of the Excimer laser is complicated and it’s important to work with ophthalmologists who are both trained in the surgical procedure and who have demonstrated the ability to properly operate and calibrate this precision instrument.

The Excimer Laser was originally approved for PKR, or Photorefractive Keratectomy and its usage was later expanded for LASIK procedures, or Laser in situ Keratomileusis. With PKR, the cornea is reshaped by eliminating excess tissue from the cornea’s outer surface. With each computer calculated lightening-fast laser pulse, a microscopic ultraviolet light beam removes the excess tissue. After only a few minutes and the application of local anesthesia, the procedure is over. In just a day or so, patients can resume normal activity.

In a LASIK procedure, the eye doctor rather than the laser’s built-in computer determines where incisions will be made and how much tissue will be removed. This is a more complex and invasive procedure and it is one that is recommended for more severe refractive conditions. Using a microkeratome (a knife), the eye surgeon slices and then pulls back a flap of the tissue covering the cornea. With the tissue out of the way, the laser is then used to remove tissue and reshape the cornea. The flap is put back into place and the patient typically can see well enough to drive home after the procedure. LASEK and epi-LASIK are variations of the LASIK procedure.

Non Excimer Laser Procedures

These are procedures that rely on artificial implants, surgery and reshaping to correct eye problems. Lens implants are effective for individuals who have cataracts, nearsightedness and farsightedness. Intraocular lenses or IOLs are used as replacements for the damaged cloudy lenses caused by cataracts. New and improved artificial lenses now incorporate the use of hinges that allow the eye to move and act like a real lens.

Other types of implantable contact lens can correct nearsightedness and farsightedness. They act much like removable contact lenses but require no maintenance and wearers cannot feel these lenses and implants.

Thermokeratoplasty involves the use of heat to manipulate the collagen within the cornea. In doing so, refractive errors can be corrected in a matter of minutes. There are two types of Thermokeratoplasty procedures. Laser thermal keratoplasty or LTK involves the use of holmium YAG laser and CK or conductive keratoplasty involves use of radiofrequency waves.

Astigmatic Keratotomy (AK) involves cutting the cornea in order to reshape it. However, its use has diminished since laser treatments involve less risk and are far more effective at reshaping the cornea.