Cost Effectiveness of LASIK vs Contact Lenses

Submitted by Dr. Dean Dornic on Wed 05/25/2011 - 11:41

LASIK will save you money over the cost of contact lenses.

One of the most common barriers to vision correction sited by patients interested in LASIK is cost.  But LASIK eye surgery, compared to contact lens and eyeglass correction of vision is actually a more cost effective option.  Consider the cumulative cost of contact lenses and extra office visits/contact related fitting fees as well as backup eyeglasses over the course of several years and it can be astounding how quickly the total price tag of vision prosthetics adds up.  Over the course of a decade or more of vision correction,  the cost differential between LASIK eye surgery and contact lens correction can amount to thousands of dollars.  Of course, the younger the patient, the more impressive the savings but, even older individuals can benefit financially.  And, the cost differential included in this article include only direct costs:  they don’t take into account the cost of time spent in doctor’s offices, purchasing lenses and glasses, inserting and removing contacts or lost time related to contact lens related infections or other difficulties.  If you have a productive business or career, time lost from income producing endeavors translate into even more lost dollars than the examples illustrated here.

How much money are we talking about?  Well, for a patient in their forties, LASIK vision correction surgery, on average, will save the typical patient $10,000.  A patient in their twenties will save even more: about $25,000.  AMO has developed a savings calculator that you can use to estimate the cost effectiveness of LASIK eye surgery compared to contact lenses.

Now, let’s say you’re convinced of the financial wisdom of correcting your vision rather than monthly “rent” of vision through the purchase of contact lenses and related services.  Even the most convinced investigator may simply not have the $4000-$5000 necessary to pay for LASIK eye surgery at their disposal.  Does that mean you should continue expenditures for contact lenses until you can accumulate the total necessary to pay for the procedure?  For most people the answer is no.  Consider applying what you normally are paying for contact lenses and related services and applying that amount toward your LASIK eye surgery.  If your credit is reasonably good, most LASIK surgeons can arrange financing for your procedure: and, as illustrated earlier, the sooner you can stop paying for contacts, the more your savings.

Hesitant to take on more debt?  Well, while we admire your frugality, the argument about avoiding debt really only holds water when talking about certain luxury items.  Most people will not continue paying rent until they can afford to pay cash for their house because it does not make financial sense to do so.  The same is true for LASIK eye surgery if you view it as an investment designed to save you money over years.

So if you’ve been considering vision correction surgery, cross “cost” off your list of excuses for postponing your procedure. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll help develop an affordable plan for losing your dependence on glasses and contact lenses. The sooner you have LASIK or other vision correction procedure, the more you’ll save and the sooner you can begin to enjoy visual freedom.