Beware of Misleading Pricing

Ads for under $500 per eye
for LASIK

It is important to understand what is included (or maybe more importantly, what is NOT included) in quoted rates. Some LASIK chains and other refractive surgery providers try to lure you in with “loss leader” advertised pricing. Only a very small pool of candidates with a low level prescription and minor-to-no astigmatism will qualify for this stated price. Otherwise your price will be will increase significantly (as in "bait and switch") based on the level of the prescription or the amount of your astigmatism goes up. Also, these same providers also vary their price based on the brand of laser equipment used. Please be careful of the small print or asterisk on the price. Read them carefully.

Be wary of “One Price” models. A One Price pricing model refers to a pricing model used by some LASIK surgeons that have the same price to the patient regardless of the type of LASIK surgery (e.g., Traditional LASIK, Custom LASIK, etc) your physician recommends. With QualSight, you can rest assured that you will only be charged for the services you receive. Market Scope reports that the national average price in 2007 was $1,681 for Traditional LASIK. The reported national average for One Price is $2,144.* In fact it is very interesting that the national average for One Price, $2,144, even exceeds the $2,061* reported as the overall average price charged for LASIK Surgery in 2007. So be very cautious if your surgeon wants to charge you using the One Price model.

*AS REPORTED BY Market Scope Q1 2008 for the 2007 average

The Facts on LASIK surgery below a $1000 per eye

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ginsburg, a widely regarded economist focused on health-care, recently testified: “Many of us have seen LASIK advertisements for prices of $299 per eye, but in fact only a tiny proportion of consumers seeking the LASIK procedure meet the clinical qualifications for those prices. Indeed, only 3 percent of LASIK procedures cost less than $1,000 per eye.”