Lasik Eyes Surgery - More On LASIK Pricing

Author

More On LASIK Pricing

gospa68@aol.com

2005-03-19, 6:22 pm

Patients' costs vary widely for laser eye surgery
An informal survey of metro-area Lasik prices shows a range from $1,400
to $4,600 for both eyes.
By Mark Koebrich and Quynh Nguyen
9News

Monday, February 14, 2005 -

More than a million people choose laser vision correction every year,
most of them opting for Lasik. But they're not all paying the same
price.

An informal survey of metro- area practitioners found prices ranging
from about $1,400 to $4,600 for both eyes.

9News examined outcomes at two different price points, following
Ziantha Helm, 24, who traveled to Denver from Kansas for Lasik, and
Erin Zahradka, 27, who lives in Broomfield. Both have worn glasses for
as long as they can remember.

"I'm very excited," Helm said before her procedure last month. "I can't
wait to be able to see."

Said Zahradka: "I'm really sick of wearing my glasses."

For her procedure, Helm chose Hines-Sight, an eye center that offers
Lasik and other types of vision correction. It's a mid-priced
operation, at $1,250 per eye.

"There are a lot of less expensive places," Helm said. "But when it
comes to my eyes, personally, I'm not going to bargain shop. This
opportunity for me is really priceless."

Zahradka paid less, $718 per eye at the Lasik Vision Institute.

Lasik Vision is a chain with 35 centers across the country. The company
said it charges less because it owns its lasers and because it offers
no other services. The company used to be known as the Laser Vision
Institute and settled false-advertising claims with the Federal Trade
Commission. It has since changed owners and its name.

Zahradka was comfortable with what she paid.

"I would have paid more if I didn't feel comfortable here. I would have
paid $10,000 if I had to, but this was affordable, so I went with this
place."

Both women did a lot of research before they made their selections.

As part of her inquiry, Zahradka tapped into HealthGrades.com, which
compiles information about physicians from dozens of sources, including
all state medical boards. For $7.95, the report she got on Dr. Paul
Cutarelli showed his medical education, years since graduation,
certification by the American Board of Opthalmology and clean
disciplinary record.

HealthGrades, which is based in Lakewood, gets 2 million hits a month
from consumers such as Zahradka, according to Scott Shapiro, the
company's vice president. He said more customers are researching before
they buy services partly because of higher deductibles in health care
plans.

"It had been true that consumers researched new cars more than they
researched their physician or their hospital or a potential nursing
home," he said. "Now they can find high- quality health-care providers
very easily.

"They're looking around for price, but you have to shop around for
quality as well," Shapiro said.

"I don't think price should be your top priority," said Dr. Richard
Davidson of the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute, with the University
of Colorado School of Medicine. "The top priority should be your
comfort level with whoever is doing the surgery."

Davidson is a cornea specialist and said it's important for patients to
figure out what they're getting for the cost.

The price for some physicians may include just one exam. Others offer
follow-ups for up to a year.

"If physicians are offering guarantees of 20/20 vision or other things
like that, I would be a little skeptical," he said. "Guarantees come
with refrigerators and freezers. They don't come with eye surgeries."

New technology is one reason for the wide range in prices. The most
expensive eye surgery in the 9News survey: the Intra-Lasik procedure
from the Dishler Laser Institute, at $2,295 per eye. The company said
it is unique because the incision to the eye is made with a laser and
not a razor.

Also on the higher end is the Spivak Vision Center's conventional Lasik
procedure for $1,895 per eye.

For both Helm and Zahradka, it came down to their comfort level with
their doctors.

Zahradka paid less and said she's extremely pleased with her results.

Helm's surgery cost more, but being able to see the clock on the wall
moments after the procedure brought her to tears.

She said it was worth every penny.

9News reporter Mark Koebrich can be reached at 303-871-1499 or
mark.koebrich@9news.com.

9News reporter Quynh Nguyen can be reached at 303-871-1499 or
quynh.nguyen@9news.com.

serebel

2005-03-19, 6:22 pm

Cost does not = outcome. You pay what the market bears.
So, what's the problem?

SErebel

Linda

2005-03-19, 6:23 pm

"serebel" <serebel@aol.com> wrote in message news:<1108873493.726005.241740@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>...
> Cost does not = outcome. You pay what the market bears.
> So, what's the problem?
>
> SErebel

Hi Rebel,
I agree that the market sets the price, but if the price is too low
(and this occurs frequently) then corners have to be cut. I am a firm
believer in cost = outcome. That is why I paid top dollar. Some of the
U.S rates that I see quoted on this N.G are truly terrifying. They are
way too low.
Regards,
Linda

serebel

2005-03-19, 6:23 pm

Linda,

I wasn't speaking of the $299 type of pricing. That is bait and switch
and I wouldn't even consider whomever puts out these ads.

SErebel

Glenn - USAEyes.org

2005-03-19, 6:23 pm

In my opinion you are both right, depending upon the individual
patient.

I have found that the primary difference between the discount LASIK
and the higher priced LASIK is the laser used. Nearly all heavily
discounted LASIK is limited to the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser.

There is nothing wrong with the Nidek laser, however its broadbeam
design with conventional ablation pattern is not best suited for some
patients; newer technology may be better. For some the Nidek may be
perfectly acceptable and will provide an excellent result, but the
trick is to be fully evaluated by someone who knows the limitations of
his/her laser and will not provide the discounted package if it will
have a high probability of providing an inferior result.

Glenn Hagele
Executive Director
Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance

Email to glenn dot hagele at usaeyes dot org

http://www.USAEyes.org
http://www.ComplicatedEyes.org

I am not a doctor.