About Discount Lasik Providers

Have you considered having your eyes done with a discount laser center?

We've put together a list of questions to ask before making this commitment.

What does the discount price include?

Make sure you know exactly what is covered. Many time discount laser centers do no include the cost of post-op visits, post-op medications or enhancements in their advertised price. In some instances, you may need to make arrangements for your own follow-up and you pay for each post-op visit. Keep in mind the cost of pre-op work ups, post-op care, eye drops, travel and overnight stay (if necessary). Is it really cheaper in the long run?

What technology/equipment does the discounter use?

Low prices encourage cutting corners on lasers, equipment and supplies.

What happens if you have a problem?

While LASIK is a very low risk surgery, it is not "no risk" surgery. If you have a dislocated flap, epithelial in-growth, infection, inflammation, loss of best-corrected vision or any other serious complication you will need to return to your original surgeon. Find out if you would see the same doctor who performed your surgery. Depending on the problem, this could require several additional visits.

Who will be the surgeon, and what is his/her experience?

Many times, you don't meet the doctor until five minutes before your surgery. Often the discount laser center doesn't even know which doctor will be performing your surgery at the time you schedule. Oftentimes, discounters use new trainees and/or doctors are often rotated through the center. In some instances, doctors travel in just for a day of surgery. Do you feel comfortable with that? Find out your surgeons experience. How many procedures have they done? Sometimes they are working there to gain initial experience and move on. Look out for centers that stress that the Medical Director had extensive experience but do not say that he/she would be your surgeon. A facility's experience is important but not as important as the experience of the surgeon who is performing your surgery. A discount chain may claim thousands of procedures of experience across all surgeons around the country, but the doctor you see on surgery day may be a beginner.

Remeber........

There is a time to hunt for the cheapest price- but when dealing with your eyes and vision for the rest of your life- this is not one of those times.