LASIK Surgery Question?

Question

I am considering doing laser eye surgery in April and have been visiting various places...most places quote me prices around $5000...one place though which is located in the financial district of Toronto, Canada where I live offeres surgery from as low as $ 500 an eye (place is called LASIK MD)...i find that a little troubling...they say they offer it this low because of the sheer volume that they do and they can afford to offer it this low...im just wondering what to do?

Answer 1

I've heard this too. Remember the cheaper is not necessarily better, especially when it comes to something as important as your eyesight.

I saw deals in my local area for $500 per eye, but I went to TLC Vision to get it done and it was about $4600.

Answer 2

I have worked in refractive surgery for quite sometime and that is a lie. Visx, and B & L (laser companies) do not have tiered pricing with volume. Remember this is your eyes; the equipment to run the laser (any laser I would trust with my eyes) cost about 4-5 hundred dollars per eye and that is not including the surgeon fees. The only lasik that can be done at little to no cost is lasik with prescription less that 1 diaopter with no astigmasitim (which anyone with that script doesnt need to wear glasses to begin at all. Also Canada does not have to follow FDA regulations which is manditory in the rest of the US. Good lasik is around $2000 an eye with any prescripion. Go to a place that does only refractive surgery; your results will be much better. Look for a clinic that offers 20/20 or its free lasik; and Intralase and Customvue. If they do not want to back up their work then dont let them touch eyes. When you go for your consultation dont forget one thing you can make them come down on their prices, average going price is $4500 -$5000 but they will come down. Just tell them your were quoted by another doctor for that price and ask them to match it. Trust me it will work. Good luck and remember to ask if they offer lifetime enhancements and if not what is the global coverage free enhancments, tell them the FDA recommends 1 year. It is free to the surgeon for 1 full year of enhancments on any patient. Any thing else just ask.

Answer 3

I had LASIC done 7 years ago and paid about 1500 bucks. And it was $1500 well spent. After wearing glasses for 40 years I now have perfect distance vision.

There is some risk but I think it is greatly oveblown. You have seen a price range from $500-$5,000 and that's big swing. (although that's $500 for one eye, so $1000 for the entire procedure, I guess.)

Check with your provincial heath department to see if the cheaper place has any complaints or problems.

Answer 4

Lord No! That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. What's the matter with glasses? We had a guy from our state in the House of Representatives who got that damned surgery and it blinded him finally and he had to quit politics. There's no guarantees in that surgery.

Answer 5

my brother did it with lasik md in montreal & he's perfectly fine. no side effects and he sees just as well as he used to before his eyes went bad. i think they can offer it lower because of the degree of your eyes. if it's lower then its cheaper, if it's higher then it's more. i think my brother paid around a thousand something and his company paid the rest (i can't remember how much it was though sorry).

Answer 6

i would not get the surgery done in Canada. try to come to the US. ive heard that laser surgery may not be as advanced as it is here. $5,000 is definitely what the really good doctors here charge. dont go to a place that charges $500. make sure you do your research and deal with only reputable doctors.

Answer 7

It is your eyes -- what will you do if you go for the bargain basement price, and they screw up? Can you still function at your job if your eyes become worse, or if, heaven forbid, they blind you?

If you want to save money, then don't do the surgery at all.

Answer 8

Bottom line: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...