LASIK Eye Surgery Cost & Technology

As we’ve discussed before, LASIK eye surgery costs typically require a savings plan, costing an estimated $1,000-$3,000 per eye. Many times, folks who are suitable to receive LASIK eye surgery use FSA/HSA dollars and/or tax refunds to pay for a portion of the LASIK procedural bill. Several factors play into the reason cost is still high, although it is much lower than in earlier days. One of the main factors is LASIK technology, incurring a lot of operational cost.

While not all LASIK facilities take advantage of the latest LASIK technologies, many deploy recently FDA-approved machinery. LASIK eye surgeons who want the best possible outcome for their patients invest in state-of-the-art lasers that carry a higher accuracy rate, improve patient safety and shorten surgical time. Described below are examples of LASIK technology that make LASIK eye surgery cost high but valuable in the long run. 
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Allegretto Wave Eye-Q Laser:

• A revolutionary piece of equipment, the Allegretto Wave Eye-Q laser delivers some of the best advancements in LASIK eye surgery. It is currently the fastest laser vision correction laser available in the USA, providing 400 laser bursts/second. Aside from its amazing speed, the Allegretto Eye-Q laser utilizes incredible eye tracking and Perfect Pulse technologies to check the eye’s positions 400 times per second and realign the lasers mirrors every 4-6 milliseconds. This ensures accurate laser placements and pulses on the cornea that do not create microscopic ridges or grooves, stopping and waiting for the eye to move back into position when necessary.  

Wavelight FS 200 (Femtosecond Laser)

• Another transformative piece of technology that explains the reason for high LASIK eye surgery cost is the Wavelight FS 200 femtosecond laser. A sister laser to the Allegretto Eye-Q, the all-laser Wavelight FS 200 lowers chances for post-op dry eye symptoms and minimizes general LASIK risks via blade elimination. This LASIK technology delivers a more custom procedure thanks to the machine’s ability to tailor its settings for each patient’s specific corneal thickness, shape and size.   

Pentacam Corneal Mapping System

• Before receiving LASIK eye surgery, a patient must first be examined by a reputable eye care specialist. While Pentacam technology does not typically influence LASIK eye surgery costs directly, it is a very impressive piece of technology that can map out the entire structure of someone’s cornea. In less than 5 seconds, the Pentacam is able to measure up to 25,000 corneal elevation points. This provides an eye care specialist with vital information on someone’s corneal integrity and structure, many times acting as a deciding factor in whether a patient is deemed suitable for LASIK eye surgery.

For more information on why LASIK eye surgery costs fluctuate, check out a related post: Why LASIK Eye Surgery Cost Fluctuates. Good luck during the remainder of your LASIK research and feel free to tweet me if you’d like me to write on a certain LASIK-related topic!