Below are the average costs for some of the most common procedures listed on the Better Vision Guide published by the Ceatus Media Group.
To make procedures more affordable, many physicians offer financing options.
LASIK Cost
LASIK is a type of laser eye surgery that improves vision by removing corneal tissue with an excimer laser to reshape the eye's cornea, the thick outer covering of the eye. It can address different refractive errors, including myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and/or astigmatism.
LASIK cannot address the root cause of presbyopia (age-related farsightedness), but two types of LASIK procedures — monovision LASIK and multifocal LASIK — can treat the condition and reduce your need for reading glasses or bifocals.
There are several different types of LASIK to treat these conditions, including traditional LASIK, wavefront-guided LASIK (custom LASIK) and all laser-LASIK (blade free). Traditional LASIK uses a similar laser profile for all patients, while wavefront LASIK uses a customized laser profile for each eye. All-laser LASIK is a totally blade-free procedure and can be used with either traditional or wavefront LASIK.
Average Cost $2,150 per eye
PRK, LASEK, & Epi-LASIK Cost
Has your surgeon told you that you are not a good candidate for LASIK? Or maybe you’ve looked into it but you’d rather have a procedure that doesn’t involve a deep corneal flap. Either way, you’re not alone. Each year, millions of patients undergo alternative laser vision correction procedures that are just as effective as LASIK.
If you have decided against LASIK, you might want to consider PRK, LASEK or Epi-LASIK.
Average Cost $2,000 per eye
Phakic IOLs Cost
Did you have your heart set on LASIK? If you’re feeling left out because you can’t have this popular procedure, don’t. Phakic IOLs actually have certain advantages over LASIK.
While the vast majority of patients who undergo laser vision correction achieve 20/20 vision or better, there are experts who believe that phakic IOLs are a better option for some patients because they avoid problems that can be caused by the laser, such as visual distortions and/or tiny refractive errors — particularly in patients with high myopia.
Average Cost $3,000 - $5,000 per eye
Accommodating IOLs Cost
Would you like to rid yourself of reading glasses and improve your distance vision at the same time? Are both cataracts and age-related farsightedness (presbyopia) affecting your lifestyle? If you answered yes to either of these questions, accommodating intraocular lens implants (IOLs) may be the solution you are looking for.
Accommodating IOLs are used in two procedures: refractive lens exchange if you do not have cataracts and refractive cataract surgery if you do. They cannot be used to treat astigmatism, but you can choose to have a separate laser eye surgery procedure to address your astigmatism if you wish. In the U.S., only one brand of accommodating IOL is currently available: Crystalens.
Average Cost $2,500 per eye (refractive cataract surgery) - $4,000 per eye (refractive lens exchange)
Multifocal IOLs Cost
Traditional cataract surgery has primarily been used to restore distance vision. With this traditional approach, post-cataract surgery near vision is corrected using eyeglasses. You might find it surprising that after undergoing vision correction surgery, you still require eyeglasses for near vision reading. Well, what if there was a way to have cataract surgery and restore vision at all distances? There is, thanks to multifocal IOLs.
As the name implies, a multifocal IOL offers more than one lens power. The technology functions very much the same as progressive eyeglasses and multifocal contact lenses. The difference is that the lens is surgically implanted in the eye and offers a permanent, maintenance-free solution to presbyopia.
There are several different types of multifocal IOLs approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. The AcrySof IQ ReSTOR IOL and the Technis Multifocal IOL lenses are among the most commonly used multifocal IOLs in the U.S., but you can speak with your surgeon about what other options may be available.
Average Cost $1,500 - $4,000 per eye
Refractive IOLs (RLE) Cost
There are two main scenarios in which refractive intraocular lenses (IOLs) might be the best option to correct your vision: first, if you were hoping to have LASIK or another laser vision correction procedure but discovered that your prescription is too high; and second, if you have cataracts and you’re interested in a treatment that both eliminates your cataracts and your need for glasses and contact lenses.
Sound familiar? If so, refractive IOLs may be right for you. Like LASIK and other modern eye surgeries, refractive IOLs have allowed millions of patients to achieve 20/20 vision or better without the need for corrective lenses. The procedure corrects your vision by removing your natural lens and replacing it with an artificial lens that fits your personalized vision needs.
Average Cost $4,000 per eye
Corneal Inlay Cost
If you are looking to restore your reading vision, you have many exciting options to choose from.
Corneal inlays, sometimes referred to as corneal implants, are a type of implantable device designed to correct presbyopia, the condition that makes it necessary for you to wear reading glasses to see up close. Currently there are two brands of corneal inlays available in the U.S.: The Kamra Inlay and the Raindrop Near Vision Inlay.
Average Cost $4,500
Intacs Corneal Rings Cost
If you have been told that you have keratoconus, you’re probably anxious to address the issue and begin seeing clearly again. Enter corneal ring implantation, a safe, effective, quick procedure that is completely reversible. Corneal rings also may be an option if you have mild to moderate nearsightedness; however, thanks to advancements in technology, these days most patients with nearsightedness opt for LASIK.
Corneal rings, also called corneal ring segments or intrastromal corneal ring segments (ICRS), are small plastic devices implanted to alter the shape of the front portion of the eye to provide you with clear vision. In the U.S., Intacs are the most popular brand of corneal rings.
Average Cost $2,000 per ey
Corneal Collagen Cross Linking Cost
If you have been diagnosed with keratoconus, post-LASIK ectasia or another condition caused by a weakened stroma (middle layer of your cornea), you may benefit from an advanced procedure called corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL). This procedure works by strengthening collagen bonds in the stroma.
During the procedure, your surgeon applies eye drops with riboflavin (vitamin B2) and projects ultraviolet light onto your cornea to produce new, stronger bonds in the collagen. Corneal collagen cross-linking is sometimes combined with other procedures for enhanced effect, such as implantation of intrastromal corneal rings (e.g., Intacs) or surface laser ablation procedures (e.g., PRK, epi-LASIK).
Average Cost $2,500 - $4,000 per eye
If you’ve had good vision your whole life but now find yourself in the unfortunate position of needing reading glasses to see up close, a procedure called conductive keratoplasty (CK), or NearVision CK, may be the key to restoring your vision so you can ditch those glasses. This state-of-the-art technique is also great if you have had laser vision correction but now need reading glasses, or if you have mild farsightedness. CK is being studied as a possible treatment for keratoconus and certain types of astigmatism as well.
During CK, your surgeon uses a handheld probe to send radio waves to specific spots on your cornea, altering its shape to correct your near vision. No laser or surgical blade is required. Conductive keratoplasty is often performed on only one eye in order to give you near and distance vision without glasses; this is known as monovision.
Average Cost $2,000 per eye
Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) Cost