LASIK surgery is a type of refractive surgery that is used to correct vision in patients who are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism. The surgery involves creating a flap in the cornea, which is then reshaped using an excimer laser. This can correct vision and reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses. South Africa has some of the best facilities and surgeons in the world for LASIK surgery, making it a popular destination for those seeking to improve their vision.
Compared to Lasik treatment centers in South Africa, Eye Mantra offers more advanced & safe LASIK surgery at half the cost. We have treated more than 2000+ patients from South Africa at our India center. All the aspects including travel visa, accommodation, and surgery are taken care off by our patient care team.
The Eye Mantra hospital is one of the finest eye hospitals based in India that provides LASIK eye surgery at reasonable rates to people in South Africa. The cost of Standard Blade LASIK ranges from $500 to $1000. Bladeless LASIK surgery might cost anywhere from $1000 to $1,500 (approx). The flights and accomodation may cost an additional $2000, plus you get an opportunity to visit India.
| Procedure | Recovery Time | Risk (Flap Tear / Dislocation) | Suitability(High power/thin cornea) | Key Benefit | Price/Eye ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard LASIK South Africa | 3 days | High |  | Basic standard surgery for specs removal | 500 |
| C LASIK South Africa | 2 days | High | | Customized to cornea | 600 |
| Contoura South Africa | 1 days | Low |  | Corneal polishing and aberration removal for super vision. | 1000 |
| TransPRK South Africa | 1 days | Low | | One step procedure: Bladeless, Flapless, Touchless, Safest | 1500 |
| Femto LASIK South Africa | 1 days | High | | Laser used to create flap | 2000 |
| ICL Surgery South Africa | 1 days | Medium | | Eye lens replaced with a new lens | 2000 |
| Smart Surf LASIK South Africa | 1 days | Lowest | | 5D Eye tracking with aberration removal | Max tissue saving | 4000 |
| SMILE South Africa | 2 days | Low | | Laser used to extract eye tissue for vision correction | 4000 |
Laser Eye Surgery Cost
The cost of LASIK eye surgery varies drastically, ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000 per eye. However, the average price for LASIK surgery in the U.S. in 2020 was $2,632 per eye, according to a 2021 report in Clinical Ophthalmology. It’s worth noting that advertisements offering LASIK for as low as $250 dollars are often for minimal corrections, and are often teaser rates to attract patients to seek more information.
Several factors can affect the cost of LASIK, says Vicente Diaz, M.D, an ophthalmologist and assistant professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.
The first is geographical location. “There are macro trends in terms of some areas having a higher cost of living than others and so elective procedures such as refractive surgery tend to follow those trends,” he says.
The doctor’s overhead can also influence price, explains Diaz. For example, if your doctor owns the laser equipment outright, then the marginal cost of doing a procedure is lower and they can pass those savings to the patient. However, doctors who are leasing, or who have a high cost per case, need to raise their price to make it worthwhile economically.
Price also fluctuates depending on the brand power or experience of the doctor or center. “If the doctor is in high demand, usually because of a well-deserved reputation, then that surgeon’s time is at a premium and market forces will drive the price up,” says Dr. Diaz.
However, the cost of surgery should not depend on how bad your eye vision is. “LASIK is typically a set price, as it covers the cost of correction within LASIK’s safe treatment range from minor to high corrections of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism,” says Neda Shamie, M.D., a LASIK, cataract and corneal surgeon at the Maloney-Shamie Vision Institute in Los Angeles and a Forbes Health Advisory Board member.
However, for patients that are not candidates for LASIK due to severe nearsightedness or farsightedness (or other factors), they may be candidates for higher-cost surgeries such as implantable contact lens (ICL) or refractive lens exchange (RLE). Typically, both ICL and RLE surgery is more expensive than LASIK.
What is Included in the Cost of LASIK?
Your overall cost can also be influenced by what’s included in the surgery and the prices associated with those inclusions, such as follow-up appointments and enhancements. “An enhancement is a second procedure done on a previously operated eye,” says Dr. Shamie.
A small percentage of patients (less than 5%) after an initial refractive procedure (such as LASIK) benefit by having a fine-tuning laser procedure, due to residual nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism after their primary surgery.
“Patients more likely to need enhancements include those with large prescription corrections at their first surgery,” she adds.
While services that are included in the cost of your LASIK surgery will vary depending on the surgeon, Dr. Shamie explains that the total cost typically includes the following:
- Pre- and post-operative exams for at least one year
- Facility and surgeon fees
- Postoperative eye drops
- Follow-up procedures should there be a need for fine-tuning the correction
Additional Costs of LASIK
In terms of the surgery itself, there shouldn’t be additional LASIK costs, according to Dr. Shamie, “unless you have it performed by a surgeon who offers the procedure at a low upfront cost and charges separately for the more advanced and safer technology, follow-up visits and medications.”
However, any type of a la carte pricing to minimize costs is not recommended, “because the latest technology and follow-up care are essential to an excellent outcome, not optional line items,” she says.
Some LASIK centers, though, may charge more for “custom” procedures over standard.
“Custom surgery is when a map of the patient’s actual cornea is used to treat higher-order aberrations caused by the shape of that particular patient’s eyes,” says Dr. Diaz. This is more time-consuming than standard LASIK procedures, as it takes into account the particular eye shape.
Other costs may include medications needed to recover from surgery, says Dr. Diaz, however, these are typically covered by medical insurance and are subject to copay arrangements.
Does Insurance Cover LASIK?
Aside from prescriptions, insurance typically does not cover LASIK because it’s considered elective surgery. However, many employers offer a health savings account (HSA) or flexible savings account (FSA), which allow you to set aside pre-tax funds throughout the year to be used for medical expenses such as LASIK.
“This is why January is a popular time to have LASIK because many people have access to their [FSA] funds in the new calendar year,” says Dr. Shamie.
Are There Financing Plans for LASIK Eye Surgery?
To minimize the financial burden of LASIK, there are a number of financing plans available that can turn the cost of the surgery into an affordable monthly payment.
“Many plans offer $0 down, 0% interest for up to two years, and most offer extended plans with interest for up to four to five years,” says Dr. Shamie.
One such financial institution is Care Credit, which specializes in financing elective procedures such as LASIK or PRK, adds Dr. Diaz. Be sure to explore all of the options available to you.
Does Medical Aid Cover Laser Eye Surgery
Most Medical Aids don’t cover the cost of elective laser surgery because it’s seen as a lifestyle surgery in much the same way that elective cosmetic surgery is. Some may, however, refund the planning tests from day-to-day benefits if you have funds in your Medical Savings Account.
Some Medical Aid options do include a refractive benefit, though they’ll likely only pay 100% of their scheme rate for the surgery. Since most laser corrective clinics aren’t part of Medical Aid networks, you’ll probably have to pay upfront and claim later.