What Cost is Too Cheap?

Cheap LASIK Surgery may not be worth the cost. LASIK Vision Correction is surgery and should be considered carefully-including its cost. In today’s economy everyone needs to “watch their pennies”-and their dollars as well! Having LASIK Vision Correction is top of mind for a great number of people who need to have it for their jobs or even more often, just don’t want the dependence, hassle or inconvenience of wearing glasses or contacts all the time to see clearly at distance. Thus there is a balance between wanting LASIK today and being able to afford it and trying to get the “best deal” thinking that cheap LASIK is good LASIK. Unfortunately there is an assumption that potential LASIK patients actually know what to ask and what they are “shopping” for. Here are some guidelines-HOWEVER-they are NOT a substitute for the fact that finding the best LASIK Surgeons has NOTHING to do with looking for the best LASIK price which implies cheap LASIK.

• When thinking about going after that “$295 LASIK” advertisement YOU NEED TO KNOW that you are setting yourself up for a “bait and switch” high pressure sales scheme potentially loaded with deceptive sales tactics-similar to what you would expect from a shady used car dealer. 
• Each time the LASIK Surgeon performs a LASIK Surgery procedure THEY MUST PAY THE LASER MANUFACTURER A LICENSE FEE FOR THE USE OF THE SOFTWARE THAT RUNS THE LASER. Typically the fee ranges from $150-$250. The only way to avoid this fee is to use a NON APPROVED LASER-only that has not been scrutinized and passed through the FDA approval process-can you say “safety hazard and increased risk?” 
• LASIK is surgery and thus the procedure requires the use of surgical supplies. Surgical supplies COST MONEY. Typically the actual LASIK surgery supplies can cost $25-$50 PER EYE at a minimum. 
• Let’s assume that the LASIK Surgeon and the staff work for FREE. Sure…let’s say they actually like doing FREE LASIK. Most of us like to get paid for working and doing our job….but let’s say its FREE LASIK.
• The very basic cost of LASIK is $175-$300 PER EYE before the facility pays its rent, electric bill and other costs such as insurance-AND THAT IS WITH EVERYONE WORKING FOR FREE. Do you think folks who work for free are inclined to do an A+ job with YOUR EYE SURGERY?
• The very basic cost of LASIK is $175-$300 PER EYE before the facility pays for the cost of laser SERVICE and UPKEEP. Do you think folks who have little or no profit are inclined to keep the laser serviced so it operates at ITS BEST PERFROMANCE FOR YOUR EYE SURGERY?

Thus what happens is that patients considering LASIK who shop for the best LASIK price and the cheap LASIK doctors MOST OFTEN FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY “UPCHARGES” including:

• Extra charges for the “complete eye exam and consultation” which isn’t covered by the cheap LASIK price!
• Extra charges for “your prescription”, which isn’t covered by the cheap LASIK price!
• Extra charges for “follow up care”, which isn’t covered by the cheap LASIK price!
• Extra charges for “enhancements”, which isn’t covered by the cheap LASIK price!

And on and on…so that after you have gone through the entire process your actual cost of LASIK isn’t so cheap-AND ALL YOU GOT WAS A CHEAP LASIK SURGEON WORKING IN A CORNER CUTTING CORPORATE RUN DISCOUNT CENTER THAT COULD BE GONE TOMORROW!

LASIK Vision Correction requires the skill, dedication and experience of top LASIK Surgeons using reliable and well serviced instruments as well as top experienced staff members. This costs money. Don’t be fooled or drawn to the best LASIK price that is too cheap. As with most things in life-if it looks too good to be true –IT USUALLY ISN’T!

LASIK Facebook Contest in Birmingham

Announcing an “Awful Glasses LASIK Contest”, Birmingham LASIK Surgeon Marc Michelson, M.D. of Michelson Laser Vision commented, “LASIK Surgery is serious business-but it doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way helping people as they wonder what it would be like to not have to wear glasses to see clearly at distance without them. To that end we thought it would be fun to have people interested in LASIK share photos of themselves wearing their most awful glasses. We have quite a community of Facebook fans who have “LIKED” us and so we felt that Facebook would be a great place to socialize with folks.”

Michelson Laser Vision invites anyone over the age of 21 to participate in their “Awful Glasses Contest” by going to www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision and locating the Awful Glasses Contest tab on the left hand navigation bar. Upon clicking and loading the contest page you can LIKE us and you will be asked to provide a photo of yourself with your “Awful Glasses” and are encouraged to write a little statement about why they are so awful. “We will be accepting entries throughout the entire month of February,” noted Michelle Michael, Practice Administrator. “Then beginning on March 1, 2012 we will open the contest to allow your friends and relatives to vote for you. Whoever has the most votes by their friends and relatives will get to have LASIK at Michelson Laser Vision complements of our center!! So-be sure to tell your friends that you have entered and that they should vote for you.”

There is no entry fee or cost of any kind to enter the Awful Glasses Contest at Michelson Laser Vision. However, if you win you must come in for a no charge consultation and be deemed a suitable LASIK candidate by our medical staff. In the event you are not suitable you will be able to give your LASIK to someone of your choosing who is medically suitable.

Michelson Laser Vision is a leading Laser Eye Surgery Center in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, technical and administrative staff who provide examination, consultation and treatment including LASIK, Bladeless LASIK and other types of Laser Eye Surgery for the correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

To learn more about Michelson Laser Vision visit www.michelsonvision.com. To enter the Awful Glasses Contest visit www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision

For additional information, contact:

Michelle Michael
Alabama Eye & Cataract Center
1201 11th Avenue S., Suite 501
Birmingham, Alabama 35205
michellem@alaeye.com
1-205-930-0930

SOURCE: Medical Management Services Group, L.L.C.

Best LASIK Vision Results & Wavefront Treatments

“Getting the best vision results for my LASIK patients in San Antonio requires a careful evaluation, examination and consultation including measurement of the wavefront refraction which we do routinely at every consultation to be certain we are getting the most accurate analysis of each patient’s vision,” commented San Antonio Texas LASIK Surgeon & Corneal Specialist Lisa Martén, M.D. of the South Texas Eye Institute. “Further, for the best LASIK results that are consistent and predictable I routinely perform custom wavefront laser eye surgery treatments for virtually all patients as a matter of course. As a corneal and refractive surgery specialist, the patients who visit us tend to have high expectations-and we want to deliver the best results. ”

“We too find that it is quite worthwhile to take the extra time at the initial consultation to measure the details of the aberrations of the eye using wavefront analysis. Patients appreciate the effort when we do any and everything as part of the consultation to be sure we are working to get the best LASIK results and vision for them,” agreed Leslie Doctor, M.D., a Connecticut LASIK Surgeon & Cornea Specialist at Doctor & Associates with offices serving Fairfield County in Westport, Wilton and Norwalk. “We know that refractive surgery, such as LASIK in particular, has been shown to induce changes in corneal asphericity-especially in the treatment of higher nearsighted prescriptions-so we really need to minimize or eliminate the spherical aberration as part of our routine corneal laser eye surgery procedures.”

Eye Surgery & Vision Correction Perspectives 2012

“It is truly amazing how our perspectives on vision correction eye surgery have and continue to evolve,” commented Connecticut eye surgeon Leslie Doctor, M.D. “Laser Vision Correction was an almost surreal procedure in 1993 when I was a Fellow performing some of the first vision correction eye surgery procedures with the laser and studying corneal and refractive surgery.”

“As a Clinical Investigator for the FDA trials of Laser Vision Correction in1991, it was somewhat of a challenge for us to even explain to patients the concept of using a laser to reshape the cornea and correct nearsightedness,” explained Birmingham eye surgeon Marc Michelson, M.D. “We would explain that up until that time we typically could help nearsighted patients see clearly with spectacle vision correction or contact lens vision correction-and that by participating in the study they could have Laser Vision Correction so they could see.”

“Now, my challenge in offering consultation to patients who wish to become less dependent on eyeglasses is to explain that their age may make them better candidates for another type of vision correction surgery-other than LASIK-as they have entered the age of presbyopia where they have blurry vision for far, but also have near vision problems as well”, said Dr. Leslie Doctor. “For the 50’s set I help them understand the continuum…we used to have just spectacle vision correction and contact lens vision correction-then in 1995 we were able to offer patients an alternative to correct their blurry vision at distance-Laser Vision Correction or LASIK. In 2012 we have lots of patients who need to have both dista

nce and near vision corrected-and they don’t want to be dependent on

eyeglasses, so we can offer them Lens Implant Vision Correction.”

“For that group of 50+ folks who need help with both distance and near vision and who want an unencumbered lifestyle, we too tell them how we have evolved from spectacle and contact lens vision correction-to Laser Vision Correction and now to Lens Implant Vision Correction,” agreed Dr. Michelson. “With careful patient selection through detailed examination and consultation we are able to recommend advanced technology accommodating and multifocal lens implants to more and more 50+ folks who need help seeing far and near and just don’t want to worry about glasses all the time.”

If you wish to learn more or would like to schedule a consultation to see if you might be a candidate for lens implants for vision correction you may contact Leslie Doctor, M.D. at the Doctor & Associates offices in Westport, Norwalk or Wilton, Connecticut or you may contact Marc Michelson, M.D. at Michelson Laser Vision in Birmingham, Alabama by calling 877-871-3937.

New Texas City Eye Care Office Opens

“We felt that eye care and eye surgery patients in and around Texas City would appreciate having convenient access to our team of ophthalmologists in a new comfortable and convenient state of the art facility,” stated Bernard Milstein, M.D., Founder of The Eye Clinic of Texas. “We are really pleased to be able to see patients for eye health and vision needs including cataract evaluations at the new Texas City office location at 7111 Medical Center Drive in Texas City,” commented Ophthalmologist Dr. Da-Thuy Van. “In addition, patients looking for eyeglasses or eyewear of any type will enjoy the personal service and selection of fashion frames and advanced technology eyeglass lenses. The Texas EyeWear staff in Texas City is happy to guide you through the process of finding that perfect fitting eyeglass frame and help you select the best lenses for your own individual needs,” note Co-Founder Allan Fradkin, M.D.

The Eye Clinic of Texas is a leading eye care practice serving the greater Houston, Galveston, League City and Texas City area that provides all aspects of general, medical, surgical, laser and optical eye care services. Our Board Certified Ophthalmologists perform Laser Eye Surgery such as LASIK, Cataract Surgery & Lens Implants using advanced technology IOLs to correct complex problems such as astigmatism and near vision focusing problems including presbyopia, diagnosis and management of glaucoma, diagnosis and management of diabetic retinopathy, diagnosis and management of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Pediatric Ophthalmology. Texas EyeWear at The Eye Clinic of Texas provides personalized consultation and fitting of eyeglasses and eyeglass lenses for greater Houston, Galveston, League City and Texas City area patients.


To learn more about The Eye Clinic of Texas you may visit http://www.ecot.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/ecot.lasik.