What is The Cost Of Conventional LASIK Eye Surgery?

Clear vision significantly impacts your quality of life, which helps in your day-to-day activities. Your cornea (a transparent part of your eye that covers the iris and the pupil and allows the light to enter inside) is responsible for bending (refracting) light that passes through it to effectively focus the images onto your retina (a light-sensitive layer of nerve tissue at the back of your eye, which receives images and sends them to your brain through the optic nerve). Any change in the shape of the cornea will impact the light refraction (refractive errors), causing the image not to be focused clearly onto the retina and leading to blurred vision. Visual aids like glasses and contact lenses are used to improve your vision, but they provide only a temporary solution. They also add on to your expenses since they need to be changed periodically as your prescription changes. Contact lenses also pose a high risk of infections, allergic reactions, and loss or damage. 

The latest advanced laser technology helps to overcome these obstacles and provides a permanent solution to your poor vision. These are minimally invasive (causes less trauma) procedures with quick recovery and minimal postoperative complications, which can be easily managed. 

This blog explores one such revolutionary laser-assisted procedure, which is known as Conventional LASIK eye surgery, and the cost, which is an essential aspect of any surgical procedure. 

What is Conventional LASIK Eye Surgery?

Conventional LASIK eye surgery is considered a permanent solution to refractive errors like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism (abnormal curvature of the cornea). It uses laser technology to reshape your cornea, thus improving the corneal curvature to focus images clearly. 

The procedure involves a thin corneal flap of uniform thickness using a microkeratome (a blade-like instrument), and reshaping of the cornea using an excimer laser. The laser is programmed effectively using your eye measurements recorded during the pre-procedure eye tests. Conventional LASIK eye surgery significantly reduces your dependency on glasses and contact lenses. 

What is the Cost of Conventional LASIK Eye Surgery?

Cost is an important aspect of any surgical procedure that helps achieve value-based care. Knowing the cost of the procedure helps you evaluate its effectiveness and whether you can afford it, thereby having realistic expectations about the surgery.

The cost of Conventional LASIK eye surgery ranges between Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 1,30,000 approximately. This estimate depends on various factors which impact the overall cost of the surgery. 

Factors That Influence the Cost of Conventional LASIK

• The experience of the operating surgeon

• • • Senior operating eye surgeons who are highly qualified increase the overall cost of the surgery due to their high consultation charges.

• Location of the hospital 

• • • Hi-tech hospitals in big cities offer high surgery packages when compared to health centers in small cities. 

• Surgical tools and advanced technology used 

• • • The lasers used in conventional LASIK eye surgery add up to the overall cost of the procedure.

• Preoperative screening tests and consultation

• • • Before undergoing any surgical procedure you need to undergo a series of tests and examinations to evaluate your eligibility for the procedure.
    • Various tests are conducted before Conventional LASIK to check the refractive error present and assess your eye measurements to program the excimer laser used to reshape the cornea.
    • Other tests such as blood examination, are important to rule out any pre-existing conditions like diabetes (high blood sugar levels), and other blood disorders which may have an impact on your healing. 
    • These expenses include:
      • Pre-surgical consultation- Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000
      • Vision test- Rs. 1,000 to Rs 1,500
      • Slit lamp examination- Rs. 1,000 to Rs 3,500
      • Pupil measurement- Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000
      • Pachymetry test- Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,500
      • Corneal topography- Rs. 2000 to Rs. 3500
      • Blood tests to rule out conditions like diabetes (high blood sugar levels)- Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2500

• Postoperative expenses

• • • Post-op follow consultation- Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000
    • Eye drops and medications- the amount varies

• Managing post-operative complications if present 

• • • Presence of any post-op complications need to be managed like under or over correction which requires enhancement procedures to correct the error. This adds up to the original surgical package. 

• Additional factors

• • This includes the operating room charges, the nursing staff or assistant expenses, the cost of medications and eye drops the hospital provides before you leave.

Why is Conventional LASIK Surgery More Cost-effective Than the Visual Aids?

Though Conventional LASIK eye surgery is considered expensive, it is a one-time investment with long-term benefits. The visual aids that are used only temporarily improve your poor vision. There are other drawbacks of visual aids that would make you opt for  LASIK procedure that include the following:

• The glasses could break or get lost, which add up to your expenses. 
• The visual aids need to be replaced as and when your prescription changes. 
• Using your contact lenses is a tedious process that poses a risk of frequent infections and allergic reactions. 
• Moreover, you need to invest additionally towards the contact lenses solution.
• The overall cost of the visual aids would range between Rs. 55,000 to Rs. 1,40,000 due to frequent replacements. This is way more than the Conventional LASIK eye surgery which provides permanent vision correction.

Hence, Conventional LASIK eye surgery is a better and a worthy option for correcting your visual errors compared to visual aids like glasses and contact lenses.

Do Insurance Companies Cover Conventional LASIK Eye Surgery?

Yes, insurance companies cover Conventional LASIK eye surgery due to the increased prevalence of vision problems. Initially, LASIK surgery was considered as a cosmetic procedure and not a medical necessity, and insurance companies did not cover the procedure. But it is not the same scenario now! 

There are additional situations where insurance is covered that include:

• If surgery is recommended for refractive error caused by an injury or accident.
• Higher refractive error that is more than 7.5 D ( diopters).
• If the refractive error is a complication of other surgical procedures.

Insurance companies will cover your LASIK surgery as long as you meet the above conditions, with quick approval.

Takeaway

Cost being an important factor of surgery, helps you to have realistic expectations about it, and whether you can afford the procedure. Conventional LASIK though expensive provides a permanent solution to your vision problems. So investing a huge amount to reap long-term benefits with minimal complications is worth a try!

Contact our panel of expert eye doctors at Medfin for further queries. We conduct laser-assisted eye surgeries at a much more affordable price, with a smooth surgical journey and recovery. 

Disclaimer: 

The content on this site is the copyright of Medfin and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered as a substitute for medical and surgical expertise. Results from any treatments or surgeries are subjective to an individual patient and the type of procedure/ surgery performed. Please seek professional help regarding any medical concerns. Medfin will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.