The standard among eye surgery centers is to quote prices on a per eye basis. Since this is the case you may be wondering what the average cost per eye is for lasik surgery. Unfortunately this is not an easy question to answer since the cost of the surgery can be influenced by many different factors. Keep in mind that the supper cheap prices of $500 per eye that you may see advertised are often not valid for most people.

Some of the factors involved in the cost of the procedure are as follows:

The first cost factor you’ll run into is the cost of pre-operative evaluations. This is critically important to determine if you are a good candidate for lasik and to tell if there are any potential complications to your surgery. It will also help the surgeon determine what type of eye surgery is most appropriate for your individual circumstances. Many eye surgeons offer free evaluations so you can get the opinion and costs from several doctors before making a decision on who will do your lasik procedure.

Another cost factor is the type of equipment being used in the surgery. Lasers, computerized eye scanners, tear analysis and eye tracking equipment are all expensive and some of the laser manufacturers actually get a residual every time the surgeon uses their laser. These equipment expenses all impact the cost of the procedure. Each eye surgery center may use different equipment and the costs can vary dramatically.

To save yourself some money on your eye surgery look for discounts, but be cautious as well when considering these discount offers. You’ll need to read all of the fine print to know what is included and more importantly what is not included in discount prices. In some cases the discounts won’t be available to everyone and some discounts don’t include important pre-operative and post-operative testing and follow up. This can end up making your LASIK eye surgery more risky, which is never a good idea.

Based on what eye surgery center you choose the cost of lasik eye surgery can vary by as much as $1500 per eye. This is a huge difference so be sure to shop around and have consultations with several lasik providers prior to making your decision. And don’t forget to read the fine print if you’re considering discount lasik eye surgery to keep yourself safe.