Lasic - laser eye treatment in Florida

[Champagne]

Met up with a friend in Orlando who has just had her eyes lasered with the new and painless lasic treatment. She raves about how easy, inexpensive and safe it is - I'm really tempted to see her eye surgeon on my next visit. Anyone have any info they could share? How might treatment affect my UK travel insurance?

[george]

How much did she pay ?

[blott]

Usually, UK travel insurance policies do not cover medical treatment abroad so you need to check whether yours does or not. If your insurance doesn't cover you, you'll be responsible for the medical bills yourself if you have any complications.

[Southsider]

I have seen this done on Extreme Makeover and it looks like a very painless and simple procedure, the results are instant and get better day by day, I have heard it is £600 per eye in the UK, if it is cheaper in the US, get it done over there and pay for it yourself, thankfully, I dont need glasses, but would definitely get lazered if I did.

Tricia

[MTP]

I have now done the follow up for several patients that have had Lasik, we are affiliated with Ultralase in practice. Ultralase's own website has a lot of information on it about the procedure and also a lot of information about themselves. They also run a 'laser eye forum' (the web addresses for both these sites is the .com obviousl of their names).

Another good site is complicated eyes dot org, which caters for those that have had treatments that have gone wrong.

[janice]

I had laser treatment about 12-13 years ago now, and my eldest daughter (24) had it done 3 years ago. We both have had no problems since the treatment and found it quite painless, just slight aching like dull toothache!!!! but in your eye [msneek]. At the time I had mine done the cost was £495 per eye and Shelly's was £503 so not a lot of difference in 10 years. I would recommend it, as it's so lovely to be able to see properly, but only after you have researched it and feel at ease with having it done. I would also think it better to have it done in the country where you live because of the aftercare, unless you are able to spend 6 months in Florida [msnwink].
Jan.

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Usually, UK travel insurance policies do not cover medical treatment abroad so you need to check whether yours does or not. If your insurance doesn't cover you, you'll be responsible for the medical bills yourself if you have any complications.
[/quote]

Absolutely right. Travel Insurance is only for immediatly necessary treatment asociated with emergencies eg if you break an ankle or develop appendicitis making you medically unfit to return to the UK.

Under no circumstances will the Insurance allow elective treatment abroad like laser surgery. You may find that your bills are a LOT more than you bargained for if you take all the bits and pieces into consideration.

Blott's also right about possible complications. Even if you pay fot the treatment yourself - which incidentally could be a lot more than the basic charge when you add the 'incidentals' - you have to consider possible complications, follow-up etc.

[LiesaAnna]

its not something i would consider going so far from home! i think if i was so adamant that i wanted/needed that doing i think i would save just as we save for a holiday!
(my twopenneth worth)

[Harry and Jayne]

Would be interested to know which company your friend used and the total costs involved

[orlandobabe]

My husband had it done in Orlando 3 years ago in February and had absolutely no trouble whatsoever.

The clinic was very professional with all the latest gadgetry.

We fist of all went for a pre-op check up and watched a video. Then we went back for his op about 4-5 days later. Then he had a check up 2 days before he flew home.

All in all it cost $2000 -this was because he has astigmatism which made it dearer over here and over there. He had it done in Florida because he could have both eyes done at the same time-they weren't doing thatin the UK then.

The clinic was called the new view laser centre and the Doctor was Dr Peter Urban. It was in the Dr Phillips area of Orlando.

As soon as the first eye was done-he could read a poster on the wall. He has perfect vision in one eye-but because he was born with a problem in the other eye-the doctor explained he would only be able to correct it to a certain degree. He managed to get 60-70% in that bad eye.