How much does prk eye surgery cost

These vision experts ensure the content is fact-based and up-to-date. We have strict sourcing guidelines and every page contains a full list of references for transparency. Since PRK is considered an elective surgery , it is not likely to be covered by insurance.

Like LASIK, some of the initial scans or exams leading up to PRK may be partially covered by your vision insurance, but the cost of the surgery itself probably will not be covered. You should still speak to your insurance company to understand what aspects of PRK may be covered, however. If your surgeon has decades of experience and has improved the vision of tens of thousands of patients, they may charge more. If they are located in a surgery center, they may cost less.

One of the greatest factors that changes the price of PRK and other, similar elective eye surgeries is geographical location. If you are in a major city, like New York or Los Angeles, the procedure will cost more than if you are at a university surgery center in a small town in the middle of the country.

There were no additional listed costs, but preoperative and follow-up exams, prescription eye drops, and enhancements may cost more on top of the per-eye cost. Ultimately, costs can vary greatly depending on all the specifics mentioned. Again, since PRK is elective, it is very rare to find discounted or free versions of this surgery.

Some ophthalmologists will offer a free eye exam if you are interestedin LASIK or another refractive surgery like PRK, which comes with no obligation between you and the ophthalmologist.

However, this exam is geared toward determining if you are a good candidate for the procedure and not to determine your eye health overall. If you are interested in PRK, you can contact your vision insurance and see if the procedure may be covered, at least in part. In contrast, an eye that has healed from PRK goes back to the way it was before surgery.

For this reason, some surgeons recommend PRK for people with very active lifestyles or professions such as law enforcement. There are certain career fields for which good eyesight is a job requirement.

Therefore, people in military and law enforcement may have special considerations when deciding which type of laser vision correction to get. PRK vs. LASIK for military: Laser eye correction is popular in the military because clear vision is key, and glasses and contact lenses may hinder job performance in certain scenarios. PRK is the most popular laser eye surgery for military members due to concerns that job-related trauma after LASIK could cause flap dislocation. Before getting laser eye surgery, military members may want to check to see if corrective eye surgery could make them ineligible for a particular role in a certain military branch.

Pilots should carefully consider any possible downsides to laser eye surgery, including possible worsening of night vision. There is also a risk that pepper spray could get under the corneal flap and cause irritation. LASEK may be another good option for people in law enforcement. It really all depends on the individual person. Works better for some patients active lifestyles, over 40, thinner corneas, higher prescriptions, certain professions. Your eye doctor or eye surgeon will need to do a comprehensive eye exam and check your corneas to determine if you are a better candidate for PRK or LASIK.

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