Laser eye surgery vs glasses – how do the costs compare in the long run

Health is an area where many people have the ability to tighten their belts. No one wants to be cheap when their and their family’s health is in question but there are a number of ways to save money in this area while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If this topic interests you, also check out tips for cutting your prescription mediation costs.

Your eyes are one of your most important assets. When you can see the world around you clearly everything is easier to handle. If you have glasses or contacts there is a lag time in the clarity you experience. Laser eye surgery could be the thing that helps you see clearly, and helps save you money.

The Contact Quandary

When you wake up in the morning you have to reach for your glasses before you reach for your alarm clock. Even if you wear contacts you may not be able to wear them to bed. Imagine if you could see clearly anytime you opened your eyes.

Whether you have contacts or glasses, the weather becomes a big issue. On dry days your contacts may hurt. On rainy days you may have to wipe your glasses one too many times. If you could do without the hassles, would you?

The Cost Question

People often do not look deep enough into laser eye surgery because the cost scares them off. They think that they will not be able to afford it, so they move on. They continue to buy contacts and get new frames year after year. When you do the math you will see that the cost is actually better when you get laser eye surgery.

Eye Doctor Visits

Every year to every two years you should visit the eye doctor. This is true whether you have 20/20 vision or wear contacts. You want to make sure that there are no diseases plaguing your eyes. The eye doctor cost is not a factor as this is something you do for your health.

Contacts

There are a myriad of contacts to choose from. Let’s look at one of the most popular. Disposable lenses are cleaner and easier to use. Therefore, many people opt to go the disposable route. The average cost of a 90 pack of disposable lenses from Bausch and Lomb is $45 a pack. Of course, there are discounts when you buy multiple packs. If we just take into account the base price over a year that is:

• 1 box of 90 lenses over 365 days = about 4 boxes a year = about $180
• Over 50 years that is about $9,000

Glasses

There are so many different lenses that people may need over the course of their life: regular lenses, transitions, bifocals and more. Lenses are a large cost to glasses. However, since they vary so greatly let’s just look at frames. You may need a new pair of frames every two years or so. An average frame from Burberry costs $200. Over fifty years that is $5,000.

Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is something that you may consider when talking with your ophthalmologist. The benefits of this procedure are many. One of the simplest is being able to open your eyes in the morning and see the alarm clock. The cost of laser eye surgery is about $1,300 per eye. This makes the cost $2,600, and you are done.

One of the myths is that you have to pay for laser eye surgery all at once. When you work with a good company you may find that there are payment options. These options make this procedure more affordable.

The Cost Comparison in the Long Run

You know what is best for your lifestyle. Your doctor can help you decide what is best for your eyes. When looking at the cost breakdown of contacts, glasses and laser eye surgery it is easy to see that laser eye surgery is the most affordable in the long run.

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Nick writes for PersonalEyes, Sydney’s most trusted laser eye surgery specialists.