LASIK Financing is chosen by a large number of patients who desire LASIK but cannot afford to undergo the LASIK procedure without the option of LASIK financing. LASIK surgery will typically cost between $2,000 and $3,000 per eye. The total cost would therefore be at least $4,000 and likely $5,000 or more. This cost is not easily absorbed without LASIK financing.

Generally plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, and other elective (optional, voluntary) types of surgery are not covered by health insurance. It is rare for a company to cover an elective surgery procedure. This is where LASIK financing comes in. LASIK financing allows LASIK patients to afford a treatment that otherwise they would not be able to afford on their own.

Because LASIK is considered to be an elective surgery, LASIK financing can also be used by people who do not have health insurance, or whose health insurance does not cover certain compulsory procedures.

The cost of all elective procedures varies greatly depending on where you live. LASIK surgery is more expensive in areas with fewer LASIK surgeons and less expensive in areas with a greater number of LASIK surgeons due to competition. LASIK also tends to be more expensive if the area has a higher cost of living and less where the cost of living is lower. Generally an experienced surgeon with a large patient base can charge more than a newer LASK surgeon. The average prices for today’s most popular elective surgeries can vary greatly as can the prices of LASIK surgery.

Here are some of the more popular methods of LASIK financing. Most LASIK centers will have methods of financing LASIK and LASIK patients can sometimes finance LASIK through the LASIK center or through a financing plan used by the LASIK center.

Capitol One LASIK Financing

No Obligation

Capitol One allows you to apply for your free, no obligation customized loan proposal. You are under no obligation to accept a LASIK financing loan offer that is presented to you from Capitol One.

14-Day Guarantee (No fees, no charges if money returned within two weeks)

If for any reason you change your mind after you take out your LASIK Financing loan, you can return the amount you borrowed within fourteen days, and there will be no fees and no charges.

No Penalty for Early Pay Off (Prepayment)

You can pay off your personal loan anytime with no fees.

Capital One Healthcare FinanceSM can help you afford LASIK and other procedures that let you see the world in a whole new way. Use Capital One Healthcare Finance to pay for elective procedures such as LASIK eye surgery, costing anywhere from $995 to $25,000.

Capitol One LASIK Financing Plans offers installment loans with low, fixed rates from 1.9% APR to 23.9% APR*, or interest-free loans** for 3, 6, 12, or 18 months to qualified applicants. Either way, you’ll be able to find an option designed to fit within your budget.

LASIK Financing from Capitol One offers flexible terms. You can set up a payment schedule from three months to five years.

This LASIK Financing helps make high quality vision care a reality that is available immediately.

LASIK Financing through Capitol One.

• Fixed rates starting at 1.9%APR*
• Low monthly payments that never change
• Terms up to 60 months
• No prepayment penalty
• No hassle application and online decision in minutes
• Interest-free options available**

LASIK Financing through Care Credit

CareCredit is a flexible patient/client payment program, specifically designed for LASIK eye surgery and other healthcare expenses. This makes it easier for LASK patients to get the treatment or procedures they want and/or need. CareCredit is ideal for co-payments, deductibles, treatment and procedures not covered by insurance, and can be used at over 45,000 practices nationwide.

How can CareCredit help LASIK patients get the treatment or procedure that they want?

CareCredit lets you begin your treatment or procedure immediately—then pay for it over time with low monthly payments that are easy to fit into your monthly budget.

What type of payment plans and LASIK financing plans does Care Credit offer?

CareCredit offers a full range of No Interest and Extended Payment Plans for treatment fees from $1 to over $25,000. Please note: All plans may not be available at all healthcare providers. To find out which plans are available in your provider’s practice, be sure to speak with the Office Manager or Financial Coordinator.

No Interest Payment Plans for LASIK Financing

• 3, 6, 12, & 18 month plan options
• No interest if the balance is paid within the specified time period
• Low minimum monthly payments

Extended Payment Plans for longer term LASIK financing

• 24, 36, & 48 month plan options
• For treatment fees from $1,000 to over $25,000
• 9.90% interest rate

With CareCredit, you pay no up-front costs, no pre-payment penalties and no fees. Plus, CareCredit is a revolving credit line for additional treatment or add-on charges, without the need to re-apply.

Please note: All plans may not be available at all LASIK surgery providers. To find out which plans are available in your provider’s practice, be sure to speak with the Office Manager or Financial Coordinator.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 15th, 2006 at 6:09 pm and is filed under LASIK. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

The price of LASIK could be one of the most important factors preventing the majority of Americans from undergoing laser vision correction. While many people are still afraid of having lasik eye surgery because of concerns about side effects or complications, the majority of Americans would still choose to have the procedure if they thought it was affordable.

LASIK costs have decreased significantly since it was introduced in the late 1990’s. The prices probably reached their lowest point shortly after 9/11. Since then the price of LASIK has continued to rise. Today LASIK generally costs between $2000 and $3000 each eye. Occasionally, you will see prices for $299 or $399 per eye for LASIK eye surgery. Patients ask if these prices are realistic. Let us consider the price of LASIK.

Cost of LASIK Advertising

LASIK centers generally pay about $500 or more per eye in advertising costs. A single advertisement on the TV or radio will often cost more than $300. Advertisements in the newspaper are 3 to 4 times that cost. This generally results in media and advertising costs of more than $500 per eye. With that much alone, no center could afford to charge prices such as $299 per eye.

Cost of LASIK Equipment

LASIK equipment is not only expensive but it must be upgraded ever 2 years. The laser itself can cost $75,000 or more. Also required are wavefront measuring devices, topography machines, pachymeters (to measure the thickness of the cornea), and a half dozen other important and expensive machines. Some LASIK centers don’t upgrade these as often as needed or fail to perform regular (and expensive) maintenance. Other LASIK centers purchase cheaper equipment that might not be as accurate.

Overall, the cost of equipment is at least 30%-40% of the price of the surgery. The equipment is extremely important to the success of the surgery so saving money to receive an inferior surgery is generally not a good idea. Make certain that the LASIK center uses the most advanced equipment. Familiarize yourself with the names of the lasers and other LASIK equipment. Don’t allow a doctor to offer you a lower price by offering you inferior LASIK equipment.

Cost of Personnel

LASIK surgery centers depend on more than just the skills of the LASIK surgeon. Many of the measurements are performed by staff or supporting doctors or optometrists. A highly trained and effective staff can be expensive as well. If you feel like the staff is undertrained perhaps you should consider finding a new center. Errors can occur if the staff and the LASIK surgeon do not communicate effectively.

Cost of the LASIK Surgeon

An experienced LASIK surgeon values his/her skills more than an inexperienced LASIK surgeon. They have performed more surgeries and consider the cost of their experience to be fairly significant. Do not underestimate the value of a skilled LASIK surgeon. An experienced LASIK surgeon will have a significant number of patients and will generally not need to resort to low prices and special sales to attract LASIK patients.

LASIK Financing

Most LASIK centers can decrease the cost of LASIK be offering financing options. 18 months same as cash or low interest rates over 3 to 5 years are fairly common. If you would like LASIK be certain to ask about these. Remember that advertising $31/month for LASIK is ridiculously low. It would take 15 years to pay off LASIK at that rate. Set reasonable expectations. The total cost of LASIK will often be between $4000 and $6000.

Hidden Cost for LASIK

Occasionally a LASK center will try to hide costs such as follow-up visits or possibly later retreatments if necessary. Other LASIK centers will promise free retreatments for life if the patient returns to the same doctor every year for the rest of his life. Sometimes medication costs or other LASIK costs could be hidden. Be certain to clarify what your LASK fee actually covers. It will save you from being angry later in the process.

Is LASIK worth the cost?

LASIK can provide freedom from glasses and contact lenses with a minimal chance of side effects or complications. While no elective procedure is completely risk free the majority of LASIK patients are very satisfied (perhaps 95% or higher).

LASIK can be expensive. Don’t try to find a cheaper surgeon if you have found an experienced LASIK provider with good service, advanced equipment, and a skilled LASIK surgeon. Certainly don’t chase a LASIK surgeon offering prices of less than $1000 per eye. It is most likely a bait-and-switch approach. If it isn’t, you shouldn’t accept the surgery anyway. There is no way the surgeon can cover costs at the rate.

LASIK exam fees

Most LASIK centers offer free screenings. Take advantage of this opportunity to find the right LASIK center. Find an honest, experienced surgeon with a trained staff and the newest equipment. You could even ask for a couple opinions from optometrists They can be an excellent source for good referrals.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 15th, 2006 at 6:31 pm and is filed under LASIK. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Many LASIK patients might wonder if having LASIK is a risk for soccer (football) players or for other sports. Is it safe for a soccer player to have LASIK? Is it safe for a football player to have LASIK? Is it safe for a combatant sport participant (such as boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts) to have LASIK performed?

Soccer and Football

With soccer appreciation throughout the world, being at an all-time high, many people might wonder if having LASIK is dangerous for the many soccer players (and even American football players) who have had the laser eye vision procedure. Some might wonder if LASIK causes a weakening of the eyeball which could have negative effects upon soccer or football players. Research studies by the US military have concluded that the eye is capable of high degrees of stress following LASIK eye surgery with little or no risk.

Immediately following LASIK eye surgery, patients will be instructed to refrain from physical sports (such as soccer and football) for a period of two weeks. During this time, the eye will heal and will return to a strength very similar to what it was before LASIK. Studies show that there is no loss in cornea integrity in a LASIK procedure that was performed on a well-qualified LASIK candidate. In fact, LASIK can often result in improved vision that can translate into improved athletic performance. Soccer and football players will appreciate the fact that they no longer depend upon glasses or contact lenses. They will discover that soccer and football can be even more enjoyable when played following LASIK eye surgery. Some might even realize that their vision has improved and that after LASIK their performance in soccer or football is also improved.

Part of the requirement not to play sports or exercise immediately after LASIK or other laser eye surgery is to prevent infection. Numerous bacteria are contained within the eyelashes and on the skin around the eye. Sweat from exertion can contain these bacteria which could wash into the eye. For this same reason bathing and showers must be performed with a high degree of caution so that water or fluids do not enter the eye.

Enjoy the beautiful game and enjoy your new vision. LASIK can be an advantage in playing soccer or football. Without glasses or contact lenses, the game can be even more enjoyable. Sports participants could love their sport even more following LASIK eye surgery.

Boxing, Kick Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts

Combat sports (such as boxing, kick boxing, and mixed martial arts) are very popular. Many people might wonder if participation in combat sports is safe with LASIK. These same people feel that contact lenses and glasses are not appropriate for their sport and often cause them to struggle during competition. How often have fighters in boxing, kick boxing, or mixed martial arts lost a contact lens in the middle of a fight?

LASIK is generally not recommended, however, for participation in these sports. The flap created during LASIK has been shown to be extremely durable but there is the concern that a violent blow could tear the flap from its location. While this isn’t likely to happen, most surgeons would choose a different type of surgery, known as PRK, for patients desiring to take part in combat sports, such as boxing, kick boxing, and mixed martial arts.

PRK is very similar to LASIK. Results are equally safe and effective. Prior to LASIK, PRK was the most popular form of Laser vision correction. The disadvantage to PRK is that it requires up to 1 or 2 weeks for recovery following surgery. The advantage is that there is no flap that could be dislodged in a fight. PRK uses the same laser and the same procedure as LASIK. The only difference is that PRK occurs directly on the front surface of the cornea. LASIK is performed on an inner layer by making a flap.

Following PRK surgery, a martial arts participant can enjoy the sport as would a person who did not have eye surgery. Participants will find that their vision is improved and there is no need for contact lenses that can be knocked free during a fight.

I highly recommend PRK surgery for any participant in boxing, kick boxing, or mixed martial arts. While it does not reduce your risk of eye trauma (such as a retinal detachment or iris detachment), it does improve your ability to see your opponent and hopefully can help you to avoid more of the damaging strikes that can cause eye and brain injuries.