For many people who need to wear glasses or contact lenses on a daily basis, laser eye surgery is a very appealing prospect. The surgery alters the contour of the cornea to improve vision and the effects are permanent, although the procedure does not guarantee a lifetime of perfect vision as natural deterioration in eyesight will still occur. But how expensive is the procedure?

American patients generally pay between $500 and $2,000 per eye. This variation is largely due to the wide ranging variations in what individual patient's requirements are. The lower end of the pricing spectrum will apply to people who require only straightforward corrective surgery. If you suffer from severe stigmatism, you are unfortunately going to be looking at a much greater bill for your laser eye surgery. If you live in the United States, remember to ask for a break down of what additional costs may be entailed such as post-operative medication.

In the UK, patients can expect to pay around £500 to £850 per eye, depending on which type of laser eye surgery is necessary. The prices quoted at the clinic or hospital will generally be all inclusive.

Although laser eye surgery is, by many people's standards, very expensive it is a cost effective solution to poor eye sight. Many patients who have gone through the procedure enjoy many years of good vision and the saving made by no longer needing to purchase contact lenses or pairs of glasses invariably adds up to more than the cost of laser eye surgery. So although the initial cost is steep in the long term it is very worth while financially.

It is important to bear in mind that the cost of the procedure should not be your only consideration when selecting a doctor to perform the surgery. Due to the nature of the surgery, any problems which occur may be irreversible so it is essential to find a reputable doctor. While it may be tempting to use the cheapest vision clinic, they may be offering a greatly discounted price because the technology and equipment they use may be less up to date, or their doctors may be newly trained and lack experience. Worryingly, any doctor may carry out laser eye surgery having undergone just one weeks training. Regardless of the price, always ask as many questions as possible about the credentials of both the clinic and the physicians, and check their equipment is FDA approved.

A reputable doctor is also as essential as not everyone is a good candidate for laser eye surgery and the results can be very disappointing if it performed on an unsuitable patient. Doctors will not usually perform it on anyone under the age of 21 as their vision may still be changing (sight deterioration tends to reach a plateau after this time). Patients over the age of 60 may also be discouraged from having the surgery as vision can deteriorate much more rapidly after this age. Eye diseases will also exclude you from being a candidate. Doctors may also be reluctant to perform the surgery on someone who is either severely short sighted (-8 or more) or long sighted (in excess of +2) as the surgery may not be effective.

A majority of patients who have undergone laser eye surgery agree it is a very worthwhile expense.