Imagine if you could see clearly without glasses or contacts. With LASIK, it’s possible.
MU Health Care’s Mason Eye Clinic offers the most experienced team of eye surgeons in mid-Missouri. Our state-of-the-art laser technology is the only one of its kind in the region and is proven to provide patients the best outcomes.
Because safety is our top priority, our doctors are not only board-certified, they also have fellowship training specific to cornea and refractive surgery — ensuring your preoperative assessments and any post-operative follow-ups are as personalized as possible to give you the safest, most effective solution for your vision needs.
What is LASIK eye surgery?
LASIK eye surgery can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism by reshaping the tissue underneath your cornea to correct how your eye focuses light. Your surgeon creates a flap on the top layer of your cornea and lifts it back to use the laser on the underlying tissue. After applying the laser, your surgeon replaces the flap over the area.
Laser refractive eye surgery is fast — 10 minutes per eye — and painless. The entire outpatient procedure, including preoperative preparation and postoperative care in the recovery room, is less than two hours. No follow up procedures are required. However, we will check in with you the day after your procedure, two weeks post-procedure and three months post-procedure.
And, if you need readjustments to improve vision further, we offer it free up to one year, and at a reduced rate after a year. University of Missouri employees receive a 10 percent discount on LASIK eye surgery at MU Health Care.
If you’re looking for the safest, most advanced surgical techniques from an experienced team you can trust, choose MU Health Care. Talk to your doctor to find out if refractive eye surgery is an option for you.
Benefits of LASIK eye surgery
Laser vision correction surgery offers you a number of advantages, including:
- Better eyesight, without glasses or contacts
- Financial savings — you don’t have to buy glasses or contacts anymore
- Expanded career opportunities (military professionals, pilots, firefighters, police officers and others)
- Greater freedom during recreational activities, such as water sports, hunting, skiing or other active sports
- A new and improved look without glasses
- Safer than a lifetime of wearing contact lenses
Vision results
With LASIK, our goal is to get your vision as close to perfect as possible, but there are a lot of factors that go into your results, including whether or not your nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s provides general expected results our doctors use for LASIK.
Cost of LASIK
At MU Health Care, the LASIK procedure costs $2,100 per eye. University of Missouri system employees get an additional 10% off. This cost includes all of your surgical care, post-operative care and any vision enhancement procedures (if needed) for one year. Prior to your procedure, you’ll need a pre-operative eye exam and consultation to discuss the best procedure option for your needs. Call for a consultation: 573-884-EYES (3937).
Because LASIK is considered an elective surgery, insurance companies do not currently cover the costs. When you compare the price of surgery to glasses or contacts, the upfront cost of LASIK can be overwhelming, but when you look at the costs over time, you’ll find laser eye surgery actually comes with a cost benefit. In fact, a study done by the American Academy of Ophthalmology found those who get LASIK in their 30s save an average of $14,000 to $17,000 throughout their lifetime.
Is LASIK eye surgery right for you?
The first step is to request an appointment to determine if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. Our doctors will want to know how healthy your eyes are to determine if surgery is a good choice. We also require our patients be 21 years of age or older, since that's when our eyes stop growing, have a stable eye prescription for at least one year, not be pregnant or nursing, and not be too farsighted or nearsighted. We offer a free consultation for patients interested in LASIK.
We use the latest diagnostic equipment, including WaveScan WaveFront® technology, to evaluate your eyesight and health. Our testing equipment can measure eye imperfections with 25 times the precision of standard methods. We use this advanced technology to help determine whether surgery is right for you and detect any underlying eye disease. If necessary, we can refer you immediately to a specialist for treatment — you can get all your eye care in a single place.
LASIK isn’t covered by most insurances, but check with your insurance provider to confirm your coverage. MU Health Care employees also receive a discount for surgery.
Download our LASIK Guide to learn about the different laser eye surgery options we offer, as well as how much they cost, what to expect during and after each procedure and the amount of vision correction you can anticipate.
Other types of laser eye surgery we offer
Our experienced surgeons use a number of techniques to improve your vision including photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). We can help you decide on the procedure that is right for you based on your specific eye conditions and lifestyle. Schedule a consultation today.
