While most patients have LASIK for enjoyment of better vision without glasses or contacts, wearing contact lenses actually costs more in the long run than having LASIK laser eye surgery costs. Most people appropriately base their decision to have LASIK laser vision correction on a careful assessment of the benefits of LASIK versus the risks. Most of my patients say they simply enjoy life more if they can see well without glasses or contacts. There is another, more practical consideration, however. In the long run, it is actually less expensive to have LASIK than to wear contact lenses, especially when the costs of both lenses and cleaning solutions are factored in.
Abbott has a cost calculator on their website allowing you to see what your expected lifetime total costs of wearing contacts would be based on your age and they type of contacts you use. The results may surprise you. For example, for a 29 year old, the expected lifetime total costs of choosing to wear daily wear disposable contact lenses would be $29,200, which is far more than the price of LASIK!
In another analysis, according to Consumer Reports Health, a box of 6 contact lenses ranges in chain stores from $25 dollars at Costco for SofLens Toric Lenses to $69.99 for Night and Day Lenses from Lenscrafters, with the average price for a box at around $35. If you factor in cleaning solutions, it takes a little over 12 years of contact lens wear to equal the cost of LASIK and, after that, you actually save money if you would have had LASIK instead of wearing contacts.
Another analysis looked at the cost of wearing 30 day extended wear contact lenses versus having LASIK. With these lenses, there would be no added cost of cleaning solutions since the lenses would be disposed of at the end of each month. A typical year’s supply of 30 day extended wear soft contact lenses costs between $250 and $300. Using these types of lenses, it could take up to 20 years of contact lens use to equal the cost of LASIK. After 20 years, it would have been less expensive to have had LASIK. An additional issue with 30 day extended wear soft contact lenses is that, while you can save on the cost of cleaning solutions, there is a significantly higher risk of infection compared to wearing daily wear soft contact lenses.
Yet another study showed that using contact lenses for 30 years costs between $6000 and $18000 dollars, which is more than LASIK costs.
In the end, while each analysis of the cost of contact lenses versus the cost of LASIK comes up with a slightly different calculation for how long you would have to wear contacts before you would have paid for your LASIK, all the studies show it is less expensive in the long run to have LASIK than to wear contact lenses. While this may make good financial sense, most of my patients choose to have LASIK simply because they love the results — whether or not it saved them money in the long run!
See Also
LASIK versus Contacts
A comparison of the cost of LASIK compared to the cost of contact lens use over time shows LASIK is less expensive.
Is LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Right for You and Your Budget?
A step by step review of a cost comparison of LASIK to contact lenses.
30 Day Contact Lenses: A Smart Alternative to LASIK?
All About Vision analysis of 30 day contact lens use compared to LASIK, including a cost comparison.
iLASIK versus Contacts
A cost comparison calculator from Abbott allowing a comparison of the cost of contact lenses compared to LASIK.
Is LASIK Surgery Worth It?
An MSN Money review of the costs of LASIK compared to alternatives to LASIK, including contact lenses.
LASIK Eye Surgery
Consumers Reports analysis of the costs and benefits of LASIK Laser Vision Correction.