Costs and insurance

"Read the fine print," may seem like silly advice if you're considering laser vision surgery, since reading fine print may be one of the problems you're hoping the surgery will fix. Nonetheless, it's important to note that we've found some of the low prices advertised for vision surgery to be misleading. Among other things, the price quoted may be for only one eye. And if a free consultation is offered, you have a right to just that and should not be asked for any payment up front.

Costs can vary widely

The typical national price (per eye) for laser vision surgery is $1,657, according to a Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center survey of 793 U.S. adults who had the surgery over the past eight years. Costs per eye vary widely, with 7 percent of the consumers saying they paid less than $499 per eye; 12 percent paid between $2,500 and $3,999 per eye; and 4 percent shelled out $4,000 or more per eye. A hefty part of our sample, 23 percent, was unsure what they paid.

Prices remain fairly high, according to the Healthcare Blue Book, a resource that reports "fair, upfront pricing" for services and products. The national average cash price per eye for traditional Lasik is $1,513 after discounts, sales or specials, assuming both eyes are treated. Similarly, the average national price for custom Lasik, in which the surgeon uses a wave-front sensor to guide a computer-controlled laser, is $1,822, the Healthcare Blue Book says. And the average national price of Custom-Bladeless Lasik, in which the surgeon uses a laser to create the corneal flap, is $2,069. But if you're planning to go to a nearby city to have Lasik, remember to consider travel expenses, since you'll have to make several visits to the surgeon, including follow-up trips.

Payment options

With total costs for laser vision surgery averaging over $3,000 for both eyes, finding a way to pay for it can be a challenge.

Here are our payment suggestions for those contemplating the procedure.

Check your health insurance

Consult your employee-benefits department or talk directly with your insurer to see if your health plan covers all or part of the costs of the surgery. Even if it doesn't, you may find that some Lasik providers have a negotiated discount with large insurance carriers or vision networks, according to Healthcare Blue Book. You may still be entitled to an additional 5 percent to 15 percent discount if you are in a major carrier provider network. If you're not covered, ask if any complications that result from the surgery would be covered.

Ask about sales and packages

Many Lasik centers offer discounts to patients who request them, according to the Healthcare Blue Book. Some offer coupons or seasonal promotions.

Consider a flexible-spending account

These tax-advantaged accounts, available through your employer, can be used for Lasik and other laser vision surgeries as well as other health expenses not covered by your health plan. (Insurance premiums cannot be covered by these accounts.) You fund them through tax-free payroll deductions, with a typical maximum allowable annual contribution of $5,000. The advantage is that, because you don't owe income taxes on your contributions, you enjoy an effective discount of whatever your marginal tax rate is. The catch is that if you don't use up all the money in your account during a calendar year, you generally forfeit the balance, so you have to plan ahead if you intend to use the money for laser vision surgery. One attractive feature is that the entire amount of your annual contribution may be available as an advance, so you don't have to wait for your payroll deductions to build up before scheduling your procedure.

Avoid health-care credit cards

Most Lasik centers offer the same price whether you pay in cash or finance your procedure, according to the Healthcare Blue Book. And many centers offer free financing for 12 to 24 months, typically in partnership with a financing company. Most centers accept cash or major credit cards, and typically expect payment before performing the Lasik procedure.

A number of Lasik chains offer "interest-free" financing by means of a health-care-specific credit line, such as Chase HealthAdvance or GE Money CareCredit. Based on our past investigation of the booby traps connected with these cards, we don't think they are a good choice for elective procedures like Lasik.

If you are late with even a single minimum payment, for example, your 0 percent interest rate might turn into an interest rate of 25 percent or so, and you'll also owe finance charges from day one of your loan. If this type of credit is your only option, you'll be much safer waiting until you've accumulated enough cash in an interest-bearing checking account.