Refractive Eye Surgery
at SSM Health Davis Duehr Dean Eye Care
Our experienced, Wisconsin based, surgeons are at the forefront of eye surgery and have pioneered LASIK treatment by installing the first FDA-approved excimer laser, in addition to the first Implantable Collamer Lense (ICL) in the United States.
Don't let cost prevent you from having refractive eye surgery - SSM Health Davis Duehr Dean Eye Care offers financing and payment plan options.
At SSM Health Davis Dueher Dean Eye Care we know that deciding to have surgery can be a scary thing. We have answers to the most asked questions by patients.
If you’re considering vision correction surgery, we offer a free consultation. At the consultation, you will learn about refractive surgery and be able to determine if it’s the right option for you.
Please note this procedure is only available at SSM Health Davis Duehr Dean Eye Care locations in the greater Madison, Baraboo, and Janesville areas.
What is refreactive eye surgery?
Refractive surgery is a vision correction procedure that uses a laser beam to improve eyesight in people with blurred vision. LASIK and PRK are the most common types of vision correction surgery and have been shown to drastically reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts.
What is a refractive error in your eye?
A refractive error is when the shape of your eye does not bend light correctly, resulting in nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Refractive surgery can correct these errors. Designed as a one-time treatment, the refractive eye surgery utilizes a cool-to-the-touch laser beam that is specifically calibrated to reshape the function of the cornea.
Sometimes however, the surgery does not improve the refractive error and the patient may still need eyewear to achieve optimal vision. In this case, your eye doctor may consider a second surgery to further reshape the cornea.
Are you a good potential canidate for refractive eye surgery?
- Are you over the age of 18?
- You have no history of eye diseases.
- You have no significant medical or ocular problems.
- You accept the inherent risks and potential side effects of the procedure including chronic dry eyes glare and halos, and other complications
What are the treatment options for refractive errors?
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) - PRK uses mild abrasion to remove the surface layer of the cornea (epithelium), followed by an excimer laser to reshape the cornea’s middle layer. Because the epithelium is removed, there is a slightly longer healing time than with LASIK.
IntraLase - This LASIK procedure uses rapid pulses of laser light to create a corneal flap and then reshapes the cornea.
Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis (LASEK) - LASEK preserves more corneal tissue than a typical LASIK procedure and may be a better alternative for patients who have a thinner cornea.
Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) - ICL involves an innovative refractive lens that works with your natural lens to provide clear, corrected vision.
Clear Lens Extraction (CLE) - CLE is an alternative when vision problems cannot be corrected with laser surgery.
Ready to request a free consultation?
Call us to set up your free consultation, at 608-282-EYES (3937) or 800-362-7796 (toll-free). Or, complete our online form to request a refractive eye surgery consultation.
How much does LASIK surgery cost at SSM Health?
SSM Health Eye Care is dedicated to helping patients achieve their vision goals. This dedication includes the heavy burden of managing the cost of LASIK surgery and other refractive surgery procedures. We offer various financing and payment plans to suit your budget so you can see clearly again, without the hassle of paying bulky up-front costs.
Some doctors have fixed prices for LASIK and other types of laser vision correction surgery. The cost can vary depending on the type of technology and techniques needed to correct your vision.
At SSM Health Eye Care, the following professional fees for vision correction surgery are all-inclusive:
- LASIK with IntraLase (all laser LASIK), Laser-Assisted Situ Keratomileusis with corneal flap created by IntraLase technology
- LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis)
- PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)
In some cases, patients will experience "Dry Eye Syndrome" post-surgery, requiring the placement of temporary, or permanent, tear duct plugs. The placement of these tear duct plugs would involve an additional fee, which reflects supply costs only. We understand that this expense can be unexpected, so the professional fee for insertion of plugs is waived.
Does SSM Health offer payment plans for refractive eye surgery?
SSM Health Eye Care offers several payment plan options to help with the cost of refractive surgery. If you choose to take advantage of one of our payment plan options, there is no application fee or penalty for early payment. Interest accrues from the date of surgery.
- If you do wish to apply for financing, your application must be received two weeks prior to your surgery.
Once your application has been approved, our team will contact you to establish a payment plan that is best for you. Your signature will be required, agreeing to the terms of the contract, along with your down payment on the day of surgery. For your convenience, we accept cash, personal checks, money orders, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.
For questions regarding our payment plan program, please contact our Financial Services Department at 608-250-1593 or toll-free at 888-434-3326 and ask for Refractive Surgery Financing.
Your completed refreactive eye surgery financing application can be faxed to 608-250-1453. You can also mail a hard copy to:
SSM Health Business Office
Attn: Financial Services
1808 W. Beltline Hwy
Madison, WI 53725
What about HMO and health insurance coverage?
Many of our patients ask if their health insurance or HMO policy will cover all, or any part, of the fee for refractive surgery. Most major health insurers and HMOs do not cover any part of the fee for refractive surgery, as it is considered a cosmetic procedure. However, there are rare cases where it is covered. It’s important to check with your insurance provider first.
If your insurance provider or HMO does not cover the procedure, you may wish to take advantage of any flexible spending account benefits offered by your employer. Under the terms of these plans, you essentially pay for your surgery with pre-tax dollars, reducing the overall amount you are taxed on your income. Check with your employer to establish whether or not this benefit is available to you.
Questions about LASIK surgey? We've got answers.
More than 800,000 Americans have the LASIK procedure annually. Experienced LASIK surgeons report a lower than 1% complication rate. Many ophthalmologists believe the long term-risk of wearing contact lenses can exceed the one-time risk of LASIK by a factor as high as 5 times.*
*Sources: Mathers, W.D. Archives of Ophthalmology, October 2006; vol 124: pp 1510-1511. Williams Mathers, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University Casey Eye Institute, Portland, OR.
By choosing all-laser LASIK with the right doctor and advanced technology, the typical person age 18 to 40 will not need prescription glasses at all. Between ages 40 and 50, a person will likely begin needing reading glasses whether they have had LASIK or not, due to the reduced flexibility of their eyes’ internal lenses. This condition is called presbyopia and can be effectively handled through a special LASIK technique known as monovision, or with refractive lens exchange using presbyopia correcting IOLs. Both afford the ability to see both close up and far away. Ask your LASIK surgeon if monovision will work for you.
Most people over age 18 who suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism can be helped with LASIK, but a thorough eye exam is the only way to determine if LASIK can achieve your expectations. The exam should include full corneal mapping (topography), Wavefront diagnostic technology, corneal thickness measurement, tear film evaluation and measurement of your pupil size to ensure that LASIK is right for you. Your doctor should discuss your goals and expectations as well as the risks and benefits of the procedure. You should feel comfortable with your doctor’s assessment of your anticipated outcome before proceeding.
For most people in the hands of an experienced surgeon who is using advanced technology, the procedure is virtually painless. Some people report feeling a slight discomfort, but nothing that they equate to painful. After a good night’s sleep, most people awaken to the joy of seeing the world clearly without contacts or glasses, usually for the first time in many years. Most people are able to return to work within 24-48 hours after their LASIK procedure.
No. Many of the procedures described in this guide such as PRK, LASIK and others are all forms of laser vision correction because they all utilize a laser to reshape the cornea. The primary difference is in how the cornea’s surface is prepared for the reshaping procedure. All-laser LASIK is the fastest and most comfortable of these procedures when performed by highly skilled surgeons using the most advanced equipment. Not all laser vision correction technology is similar. Laser vision technology continually advances allowing for more precise treatment and maximizing visual outcomes. Your laser vision center should have the most advanced technology for the procedure you require.
There have been reports about people having difficulty driving at night after refractive surgery. In the early years of laser vision correction, nighttime side effects sometimes included halos, starbursts, glare around lights and sometimes blurry vision. These effects usually diminished in the first three months as the eye healed. Today’s advanced laser systems have been developed to help decrease the nighttime side effects. Make sure your center has the most up-to-date technology.
Sometimes patients worry that they will affect the surgery by nervous or uncontrollable twitches or jumps of their eyes, called saccadic eye movements. The lasers used by Davis Duehr Dean in LASIK are married to an ultra-high speed eye tracking system with a response time of milliseconds – much faster than your eye can move. This eye tracker completely neutralizes these eye movements to assure a quality treatment and increased patient safety.
The results produced in LASIK are the result of the surgeon’s skill and the quality of the lasers. Having the most up-to-date technology is a significant investment for the surgeon, but this investment delivers more precision, greater accuracy, and outcomes that are more reliable.