get corrective eye surgery or lasik

I just picked up a year’s supply of contacts from my optometrist. Any laser procedure is postponed at least that long.

It was good to actually get an idea of the entire process, but I really don’t think I ever gave contacts a fair shake. They’ll that, now, and I’ll make an even more informed decision, next go around.

Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley – I went in there with feelings of curiosity and excitement. I left with more questions and slightly dampened excitement.

I got answers to most of my questions…with the first one being something that I didn’t (couldn’t?) ask:

1. What is the difference between you (@ $800 per eye) and the “other guys”? – I think I’ll follow up with an email, perhaps after I do some shopping around for another opinion.
2. Payment plan (I’ve set aside $900 in flex spending money, but I don’t get that all at once) – Yes, a payment plan could be had…at reasonable rates, but I might rather just throw the balance on a credit card
3. How far out can we schedule to procedure so that we don’t need a 2nd eye exam? – 6 months
4. Free ‘tune ups’ for a year? – Free follow up exams, but any actual adjustments would be $100

My Situation
I see 20/20 out of my right eye, but only about 20/50 out of my left. I knew the generalities of my condition, so this was no surprise.

The Wait
My appointment was for 2:30. I arrived promptly. My actual exam didn’t begin until 3:30. Damn, that’s a long-ass wait. Then, after I was done with my measureing and poking and prodding, it was another inordinately long wait to see the actual doctor (who would perform the procedure). I’m sure if I was one of the many celebrities they treated, I’d get more prompt service. Anyhow…

The Consult
Both the ‘tech’ and Dr. Bindi seemed pretty even-keel – not rushed and pleasant. The doctor kept keying on the fact that we should only do one eye, which was my intent, all along. Still, after making this clear, he continued to try and explain why we should do…what I want to do, anyway. That seemed odd.

After we were done, I was shuttled to the scheduler/finance person. She then proceeded to tell me that I was going to have Wavefront and again asked if I was going to do one or both eyes! I re-explained that I was only doing one (after distinctly hearing the doctor tell her that it’d be just one) and she wrote down my estimate on a form. One thousand, eight hundred, ninety-five dollars. Yes, that’s $1895. Sticker shock? Just a little. Ahh, but I chalked it up to naivite, and soldiered on. She then asked if the doctor explained why I needed wavefront, as opposed to ‘traditional’ Lasik. Errr, no…no he did not. The subject didn’t even come up…only the “let’s just do one eye” discussion. This was concerning. She explained that the time I would want to do the surgery (in June) was wide open and answered my other questions.

Conclusion
I’m hoping that a follow-up email will relieve my concern about why the difference in Lasik techniques was left up to the Scheduler/Finance person to explain.

It’s not so much that I mind paying that much money for a procedure, but I just want to see what else is out there. Surely there are other places in the area where many people have been serviced, just as well. I suppose I’ll find out, soon enough.

The experience has prompted me to question whether or not I gave contacts a good enough effort, the first time around. One of my possible courses of action is to get a script for my one lens and use contacts for the rest of the year…setting aside more money, next year, and finding…somehow…a way to spend the mucho dinero I set aside in my flex account. Condoms, anyone?

I have an appointment @ 1430 (GMT -0800). Questions to ask:

1. What is the difference between you (@ $800 per eye) and the “other guys”?
2. Payment plan (I’ve set aside $900 in flex spending money, but I don’t get that all at once)
3. How far out can we schedule to procedure so that we don’t need a 2nd eye exam?
4. Free ‘tune ups’ for a year?

Made an appointment <a href="http://www.2020eyesite.com/">LEC of Silicon Valley</a> for 2/10/05. The girl on the phone said that the costs for one eye *starts* $800. Oh my.

I’ve doubled the amount of money going into my flex spending account, at work. I think that by August, I’ll be ready to schedule it.

My vision is such that only one eye (my left) needs to be corrected. I tried wearing contacts but didn’t (at the time) have the discipline.

My cousin’s husband just had it done and is raving about it. I think I’ll go to the same place he went (which prides itself on handling many sports and media celebrities).