Laser eye surgery is a popular method to correct refractive vision problems like myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism. A misalignment between the cornea and the retina causes myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia definition (farsightedness). Astigmatism occurs when the retina or cornea are disfigured and this results in blurry vision. Laser eye surgery works by realigning the cornea with the retina. The cornea is the clear part of the eye that refracts and focuses light. The retina is the tissue lining the inside of the eye that absorbs images and transmits them through the optic nerve.
An accurate diagnosis is key to a successful laser eye surgery experience. Receiving an accurate diagnosis ensures that your vision will steadily improve over time after surgery. It also reduces the risk of needing any other corrective surgeries in the future.
An inaccurate diagnosis can result in mild to severe vision damage. For example, a myopic patient being treated as a hyperopic patient could make their nearsightedness even worse. Symptoms of an inaccurate diagnosis and laser eye surgery are; glare, double-vision and seeing halos around sources of light. This affects night vision, depth perception and spatial coordination.
Despite the costs many ophthalmologists claim that the increase in price results in a more precise laser correction technique. For example, although the average laser eye surgery cost around $1500 to $2500, a Wavefront Lasik (a type of laser and computerized guidance system) operation is $2500 to $3000. The Wavefront Lasik system is known as one of the most precise and accurate systems for laser eye surgery, and patients have a higher rate of visual improvement from this machine over some others.
Laser eye surgery is not cheap and there are different types. Last year the average cost for any laser-based corrective procedure ran between $1500 and $2500 per eye. That doesn’t include the costs for any follow up examinations, operations, or prescriptions. Laser eye surgeries are rarely covered by medical insurance. Exceptions are made for those who have documented allergies to contact lenses or cannot wear glasses. Their are also exceptions made for those whose vision was damaged during another surgery or in an injury.