Laser Eye Price | Laser Eye Surgery Prices | Laser Eye Cost

Laser eye surgery prices, costs and fees vary based on a variety of factors such as differences in treatment methods, the complexity of the treatment and conditions unique to the patient.  The fees presented below are organized from highest to lowest.

$6100.  Cost of Lasik reported for patient at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute.  “Recently, Los Angeles resident Chet Lee, 30, had surgery at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, where he was able to take advantage of two of the newest techniques in Lasik: Wavefront-guided Lasik and all-laser Lasik.”  …In Chet Lee's case, the cost was $3,050 per eye -- a total of $6,100. And for the most part, Lasik surgery is not covered by insurance.”  Laser eye price information.  (Patti Neighmond, “New Technology Adds Precision to Lasik Surgery,” NPR Morning Edition, October 12, 2006)  Listen to this NPR Morning Edition program.  

$5000.  Approximate cost of customized wavefront Lasik treatment for both eyes.  “Treatment of both eyes with LASIK, customized with wavefront, runs about $5,000. Some insurers cover LASIK, but many don't.”  (Lewis Braham, “Eye Surgery: It's Getting Sharper,” Business Week, October 18, 2004)

$3000 to $5000.  A lack of health insurance coverage keeps the procedure a luxury item, affordable only to people who can spare $3,000 to $5,000. (Carla K. Johnson Associated Press, “Cost, mixed results are focus as Lasik turns 10,” Deseret News, December 11, 2005)

$3000 to $5000.  Cost of Lasik surgery.  “CRT is marketed as an alternative to Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, or LASIK, surgery that runs $3,000 to $5,000. And, unlike LASIK, there's no cutting.” (Carol Marie Cropper, “Lenses By Night, Clear Sight By Day,” Business Week, November 17, 2003)

$2500 per eye.  Cost of Lasik.  “About 7.6 million Americans have received Lasik, which costs about $2,500 per eye.” How much does it cost to do laser treatment for eyes? (Rob Stein, Washington Post Staff Writer, “FDA Plans to Examine Scope of Complaints About Lasik,” The Washington Post, April 25, 2008)

$2000 per eye.  Estimated starting cost of custom Lasik.  “Custom LASIK costs start at about $2,000 per eye.” (Linda Romine, Correspondent, “Key factors help determine if LASIK surgery is your best option,” Business First of Louisville, Friday, December 8, 2006)

$1950 per eye.  Average cost of Lasik surgeries.  “Lasik surgeries cost on average $1,950 per eye, according to Market Scope. An all-laser procedure adds $400 for each eye. (Daniel Yi, Times Staff Writer, “Bladeless surgery seen as way to boost Lasik appeal,” Los Angeles Times, January 9, 2007)

$1700 per eye.  Starting average cost for standard Lasik.  “The average cost for standard LASIK starts at about $1,700 per eye.” (Linda Romine, Correspondent, “Key factors help determine if LASIK surgery is your best option,” Business First of Louisville, Friday, December 8, 2006)

$1500.  Estimated cost per eye for conventional Lasik.  “Although the computer measurements don't add a lot to the cost of Lasik, the new 'all-laser' procedure does. Conventional Lasik averages around $1,500 per eye.  All-laser Lasik is more.”  (Patti Neighmond, “New Technology Adds Precision to Lasik Surgery,” NPR Morning Edition, October 12, 2006)  Discover more information about Lasik.

$1500.  Cost of OrthoK treatment for correcting nearsightedness.  “Thanks to a little contact lens, [Melody DuBose] has been seeing the world through like-new eyes.  …[They’re] called orthokeratology [contact lenses] — a non-surgical answer to people with near-sighted vision that you wear while you sleep.  … The procedure [for both eyes] costs about $1500, but that includes the lenses, appointment fees, and fittings.”  (Layron Livingston, KLTV “Better Vision While You Sleep,” April 16, 2008)

$1200 to $2500.  Fees charged for correcting nearsightedness in both eyes using the nonsurgical OrthoK procedure.  “OrthoK [orthokeratology] is a specialized procedure.  You really need to be trained.  You have to have some special equipment.  But the fees [for both eyes] range anywhere from $1200 to $2500.  It really kind of depends on what the person’s prescription is and what their needs are.” (Dr. James Jordan, O.D., EyeShapers, www.GetEyeShapers.com, quoted on Denise Plante and Mark McIntosh, Colorado & Company, Eyeshapers appearance on April 30, 2008, track 5:10)  View a video about orthokeratology.

$998 - $5,500.  Range of prices charged for Lasik surgery in the Washington DC area.  “Inextricably linked to the question of experience is that of price. Our survey reveals prices for Lasik surgery for two eyes ranging from $998 at Lasik Plus to $5,500 at TLC. The higher-priced centers suggest that you get what you pay for.  ‘Discounters sometimes use inexperienced surgeons, including some that are not board-certified,’ states a brochure published by Visual Freedom, which charges $2,950 for both eyes and is located in shopping malls. ‘We caution prospective patients away from such facilities.’”  (Marc Borbely, “Eyes Wide Open - Lasik Surgery: A Guide To The Marketplace,” Washington Post, August 15, 2000, p. Z12)

$800 to $3000.  Typical range of Lasik costs per eye.  “Lasik -- for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis -- typically costs anywhere from $800 to $3,000 or more per eye.” (Barnaby J. Feder, “As Economy Slows, So Do Laser Eye Surgeries, The New York Times, April 24, 2008)

$800 to $1500.  Average cost for both eyes charged for correcting nearsighted using nonsurgical Ortho-K lenses.  “Fitting ortho-k lenses takes much more of a doctor's time than a regular contact lens fit. It requires a series of office visits and potentially multiple sets of lenses. Each eye care practitioner determines his or her fee for orthokeratology, which is based on both time and lens costs.  On average, eye care practitioners will charge $800 to $1,500 for both eyes [$400 to $750 per eye], according to the lens manufacturers, plus the cost of replacement lenses in subsequent years. This can vary based on the region of the country, urban vs. rural settings, and the type of practice.”  (Gina White and Liz Segre, “Orthokeratology: Reshaping the Eye with Contact Lenses,” All About Vision, Undated)  Learn more about orthokeratology. 

$595.  Low end price advertised for Lasik eye surgery procedure but rarely performed.  “Walter Leaver watched prices drop for LASIK eye surgery and finally made an appointment when he saw a Web site promotion: ‘Starting as low as $595.’  But the 39-year-old Matthews, N.C., accountant soon learned his nearsighted vision would need more than the minimum correction at more than the minimum price.  After an evaluation at Christenbury Eye Center, Leaver found out laser vision-correction surgery would cost at least $1,450 per eye.  He decided not to spend the money.  …‘Very few people actually pay’ the drastically discounted prices some doctors advertise, said Market Scope’s [David Harmon]. Three percent of procedures are done for less than $1,000 per eye, he said.” (Karen Garloch, “LASIK: Reward of clear vision not without risk,” Portsmouth Herald, Knight Ridder Newspapers, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Thursday, March 18, 2004)

$250. Royalty fee charged per procedure to Lasik eye surgeons using the IntraLase laser eye surgery technology.  “Many LASIK surgeons do not offer IntraLase, partly because of its expense. The equipment costs $450,000 and doctors must pay royalty fees of about $250 to the manufacturer for each procedure. Fees are also paid to laser manufacturers each time a doctor performs LASIK, even without the IntraLase.”  (Karen Garloch, “LASIK: Reward of clear vision not without risk,” Portsmouth Herald, Knight Ridder Newspapers, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Thursday, March 18, 2004)

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3%.  Percent of laser eye surgery procedures performed for less than $1000.  “‘Very few people actually pay’ the drastically discounted prices some doctors advertise.  Three percent of procedures are done for less than $1,000 per eye.”  (David Harmon, of Market Scope quoted in Karen Garloch, “LASIK: Reward of clear vision not without risk,” Portsmouth Herald, Knight Ridder Newspapers, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Thursday, March 18, 2004)

You get what you pay for.  "You get what you pay for.  If you're going to pay $5,000, you're not going to get a Lexus. You're going to get a very cheap car that may cause problems. And that's something that we definitely mention to our patients. You pay for the better stuff; that's why it costs more."  (Shannon Burke, laser vision coordinator for Omni Eye Center quoted in Ray Carter, staff writer for The Journal Record, “Officials share concerns over low-cost LASIK surgery,” The Journal Record, January 31, 2001)

Avoid discount priced laser eye surgery businesses.  “It's one thing to buy your dish detergent at a discount store but don't get your medical care there.” (Kathryn Colby, MD, PhD, director of the Joint Clinical Research Center at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary referring to her recommendations on what consumers should avoid when choosing a laser eye surgeon as quoted in Thea Singer, “10 minutes, perfect vision: what's new with LASIK, and is it for you?, O, The Oprah Magazine, June 1, 2006)