Intralase is a procedure involving the use of a laser rather than a microkeratome used in traditional lasik treatments.

In a nutshell, prices per eye will range from $1500 to almost $3000 and this will vary considerably depending on the type of procedure used.

One of the difficulties patients face is knowing whether their overall cost quoted during the pre-operative stage is all inclusive or is broken down into different sections. For example, is the intralase procedure included in the single price quoted or will it cost extra.

About one in three surgeons will include the use of intralase and other wavefront technology in their overall cost. The remainder will offer a breakdown from testing to surgery and this is the time for a prospective patient to ask questions.

Getting hit by an unexpected bill which is hundreds of dollars higher than they expected can just about lead patients into a re-lapse.

Avoid Price Shocks

It's important for people to understand different eye surgery centers cost their work in different ways. Testing pre-op is necessary to make sure a patient clears any signs of risk but many are unaware that there will be a cost involved if they aren't quoted a one time price in the consultation phase.

A unit breakdown will include pre-op testing, equipment usage and the surgeon's time. If the surgeon is not a member of the regular staff then you need to consider his/her fee as well.

So is getting a one time price better than waiting for the lasik eye surgery cost breakdown at the completion of the procedure? For those working on a strict budget and who like to know what their bottom line is, then yes. However, you must be aware that there is always the chance of an unexpected complication which may require an additional fee.

Questions For Your Surgeon

If you are prone to knowing exactly what you're outlaying then some questions you can ask during the consultation phase are:

- Does the initial price quoted include everything. If not, then what's included and how much extra will you need to outlay.

- The risk of complications and will this affect the overall price.

- Is the cost of any follow up visits part of the fee quoted. If not then how much will they cost.

- The cost of the medications you may or may not need.