San Diego Lasik

The cost of Lasik surgery in San Diego County can differ between two different San Diego Lasik doctors. Lasik Surgeons will charge higher rates based on a number of elements, experience, location, and the size of the practice. Lasik surgeons in La Jolla will usually charge more that a Laser eye surgeon in Chula Vista. A big reason for this is the higher cost of rent in La Jolla, but also because Lasik surgeons with more experience and more clients feel more comfortable setting up shop in an area with higher rents.

In general, San Diego Lasik will be a bit more expensive than Laser eye surgeon in less expensive counties. However, if you live in San Diego, Lasik would be best done here; the cost of travel would likely eat any savings that another county might provide. Also, some of the best Lasik Doctors in the world are right here in San Diego County.

San Diego Lasik can be expensive, and it is not smart to go for the low-ball offer. There are some tools you can use to pay for Lasik like a Health Savings Account, a Flexible Spending Account, or a short term or long term Lasik loan.

1 Comment | In: Paying for Lasik | tags: Cost of Lasik in San Diego, How much does Lasik Cost, San Diego Lasik. | #

1. Relax and don’t feel pressured for time. A good San Diego Lasik doctor will make plenty of time for your consultation to give you the opportunity to relax and get to know him.
2. Meet with multiple surgeons from all parts of San Diego for Lasik. Just because a Lasik surgeon is across the street form your house does not mean he is the right surgeon for you. Get to know more San Diego Lasik surgeons. Just be sure your ride is happy to drive you all the way there and back.
3. Ask for the surgeon’s credentials and how long he has been doing the Lasik eye surgery in San Diego. If he just moved here, ask where from and why without prying too much.
4. Feel free to get to know him on a non-invasive personal level. If nothing else it will make you more comfortable around your San Diego Lasik eye surgeon.
5. Finally, make sure you understand your San Diego Lasik doctor’s schedule. He may be booked for months that will not work for you if you have time considerations.

1 Comment | In: Laser Eye Surgery | tags: Lasik Tips, San Diego Lasik. | #

The guy above is getting an eye redone after having PRK eye surgery done a few years ago. It shows the environment of the procedure, and his ’state’ immediately post-op. He got the PRK laser eye surgery done at Lasik-Plus, and spends some time at the beginning plugging the office; probably trying to get a discount:)

1 Comment | In: Laser Eye Surgery | tags: PRK Laser Eye Surgery, PRK Procedure, PRK Surgery. | #

Lasik eye surgery has a very fast recovery time. Almost all patients will wake up the next morning feeling well. They will also have much better eye sight. Many Lasik patients describe the recovery as going to be with poor eye sight, and waking up with “new eyes”.

Other forms of Laser eye surgery have longer recovery times. For example, the recovery time of Lasek eye surgery is longer than Lasik. The patients age and general health can play a role in recovery as well.

1 Comment | In: Laser Eye Surgery Recovery | tags: Does it take a long time to recover form lasik, Lasik Post-Op, lasik surgery recovery, What is the lasik recovery like. | #

A good interview that goes over the initial lasik consultation, who is a lasik candidate, who is not a candidate, what to expect during the lasik procedure, and what to expect as far as short term results and long term results of lasik.

The video interview is from Shandon Street Hospital in Ireland. It does not specify the name of the doctor, and I couldn’t figure out which of their doctors it was form their website.

No Comments | In: Lasik Questions | tags: Lasik Consultation, Lasik Post-Op, Lasik Procedure, Lasik Results. | #

A Health Savings Account can be used to pay for the high cost of Lasik surgery in San Diego. A Health Savings Account (HSA) is like a Flex Savings Account because qualified medical expenses, like Lasik eye surgery, can be paid for with pre-tax dollars. HSA has advantages over a Flex Savings Account because the funds you deposit will rollover at the end of the year, instead of being lost like a Flex Spending Account. Another advantage is that funds deposited into an HSA are property of the policy-holder, and if the policy is ever cancels, the policy holder can no-longer contribute to it, but does not lose the existing moneys.

Setting up an HSA

Unfortunately, an HSA must be set up in combination with a High-deductible health plan. This means that if you have a traditional health care plan, or no health care plan, an HSA cannot be used. But if you do have a HDHP, money from your HSA can be used to pay for your Lasik eye surgery. If you are ineligible to set up an HSA, look into an FSA, or HRA.

Deposits

Deposits can be made through an employer, or by the employee directly. It is best to deposit funds through an employer if you can. The money will go into your HSA before taxes are withheld. If you change jobs, the money will remain in your account as well. If you deposit the money directly, money goes in after taxes are withheld. The employee can then file this with the IRS and reduce their taxable income for the year.

Withdrawing funds

HSAs usually have multiple methods to withdraw funds; debit cards, checks, or reimbursement. Be sure to contact your provider to find out what options you have.

There are some other limits and restrictions to using an HSA, be sure to investigate before relying on one.

2 Comments | In: Paying for Lasik | tags: Health Savings Account, HSA for Lasik, Paying for Lasik. | #

Because paying for Lasik up front may not be an option, many patients choose to finance the Lasik procedure. There are a number of companies that provide this service, although not all San Diego Lasik Doctors accept payment from all finance companies. If you have already decided which Lasik doctor you are going to use, you should talk to his office about which financing companies they accept, if any. Also, you may be able to get a low or zero interest rate if your Lasik doctor has a deal with a finance company.

What if I haven’t yet chosen a doctor?

You may be tempted to choose a doctor based on financing options alone, but this may not be a good idea. Obviously cost is important, and a Lasik surgeon that does not accept any financing may not be an option; but, there are many factors to consider while choosing Lasik doctor other than cost and financing options.

What is it like to finance Lasik surgery?

The patient does not always have to visit the financing office directly; like an auto loan through a dealership, the paper work can be filed through the doctor’s office. Some Lasik finance companies have an online portal where patients can apply for lines of credit towards medical operations from their computer.

Interest Rates and Terms

The length of the loan is fairly flexible. They will usually be 24, 36, and 48-month term options. However, the interest rates on these loans are higher. There are also shorter term options, between 3 and 18 months. These terms usually have much lower interest rates, some times zero percent. Be sure to be careful when choosing a short-term healthcare loan however. The finance company makes no money on a zero interest loan; they are counting on you not being able to make one of the high principle payments. They will then charge late fees and hike the interest rate. This will also substantially raise your monthly payment for the next month and may cause you to be late again and get another late fee.

Much like a credit card, the terms will often be changed if the borrower is not making the full payment on time. Financing a Lasik procedure may be the only way to afford it, but use this type of finance with caution.

2 Comments | In: Paying for Lasik | tags: Finance Lasik San Diego, Financing Lasik, Paying for Lasik. | #

San Diego Lasik eye surgery can be expensive. Many people pay for Lasik Eye Surgery using their companies flex spending account (FSA). An FSA allows an employee to withhold a percentage of each paycheck. That money can then be used to reimburse the employee for certain types of expenses, Lasik Eye Surgery is generally included.

The advantage to using an FSA over paying for it out right is that FSA money is tax free. No income tax is deducted before you pay for the procedure. Based on your income tax bracket, this can save you anywhere from 15 to 45 percent.

A disadvantage to using FSA to pay for Lasik eye surgery is the amount of preparation and planning it takes. At the beginning of the year you must set aside a certain amount. You should set aside almost as much money as the Lasik procedure will cost. If the entire balance that is set aside is not spent, is will be lost. If you decide later not to go through with the Lasik procedure, all moneys set aside in the flex spending account will be lost. Finally, FSA will only reimburse how much you have put into it to date. It will then send you a check every pay period for the amount withheld until the debt if settled. This means, if $1200 is withheld, $100/month is taken out of your pre-tax paycheck. If you have a $1200 surgery in February, you will only be reimbursed $200. From then on, each month you will get $100 more dollars until you have recovered all $1200 in December. With this in mind it may be wise to have the San Diego Lasik procedure done later in the year.

2 Comments | In: Paying for Lasik | tags: Flex Spending Account, Lasik Flex Spending Account, Paying for Lasik. | #