Considering LASIK (1 Viewer)

[Judge Smails]

Excel Laser Vision InstituteI've been having to use reading glasses since I was 41. Have had perfect distance vision my whole life, 20-15. 2 years ago I started to wear the readers more even to see text on a TV. Great, go to eye doctor and my distance vision was going too. So now I pretty much wear glasses all of the time (progressive) and absolutely hate it. I'm OK with reading glasses, but don't like having to wear them to see for distance, like last night at a concert. Also impacts me on a golf course (guess I could get prescription Oakley's or something). So considering LASIK. I know it's not best to go cheap, but just saw a Living Social deal for $1750 for both eyes at a Harvard/UCLA trained physician who has done 60,000 procedures. State of the art equipment, 4.5 stars on Yelp, no board action I can find. Sounds like a good deal. My kids may need it as well. Heck - wonder if the buy 3 get 1 free Living Social deal applies here as well - think it does.

Here's the link:

Thoughts? Good deal? Things I should ask?

 

[Leroy Hoard]

[i know it's not best to go cheap, but just saw a Living Social deal for $1750 for both eyes at a Harvard/UCLA trained physician who has done 60,000 procedures.

60,000? Does the guy have a running assembly line?

 

[offdee]

The older you get, the thinner your cornea gets to be able to cut into it and do the procedure. I'd think 50 is probably going to be too risky/not possible, but you'll have to go into talk to the doctor to see.

ETA: I had my eyes done about 3 years ago (when I was 33) and it was the best money I've ever spent.

 

[Clorox]

I had my eyes done at age 29 (4 years ago) and agree that it was the best money I've ever spent. I've been 20-15 ever since.

My MIL got the surgery when she was 58.

 

[rundave]

I had it done for mild nearsightedness in my late 30's and would do it again without hesitation. I know a woman who is blind in one eye and she had it done on the other when most doctors wouldn't do it. My sister's ex had it done for farsightedness and I think he continued to have problems. He was always rubbing his eyes though. I would talk to your eye doctor before jumping on a social living deal.

 

[tri-man 47]

Excel Laser Vision InstituteI've been having to use reading glasses since I was 41. Have had perfect distance vision my whole life, 20-15. 2 years ago I started to wear the readers more even to see text on a TV. Great, go to eye doctor and my distance vision was going too. So now I pretty much wear glasses all of the time (progressive) and absolutely hate it. I'm OK with reading glasses, but don't like having to wear them to see for distance, like last night at a concert. Also impacts me on a golf course (guess I could get prescription Oakley's or something). So considering LASIK. I know it's not best to go cheap, but just saw a Living Social deal for $1750 for both eyes at a Harvard/UCLA trained physician who has done 60,000 procedures. State of the art equipment, 4.5 stars on Yelp, no board action I can find. Sounds like a good deal. My kids may need it as well. Heck - wonder if the buy 3 get 1 free Living Social deal applies here as well - think it does.

Here's the link:

Thoughts? Good deal? Things I should ask?

I had mine done about 6-7 years ago around age 50. I'm active with training and races (including triathlons), so it has been so great to have perfect mid- to long-distance vision. The drawback is that while I had been using readers for reading - but not computer screens - my near-vision is a little worse. The blurriness for 1-2 feet is now 3-4 feet (e.g., some blurriness for my watch; the car's dashboard). So I use readers a lot now ...most of the day in the office. But I'm OK with that.Questions I had to deal with: Pay more for the laser cut (rather than blade)? Pay more for 'insurance' in case you need to go back? I paid for a well-regarded doc and paid for these things. It wasn't cheap, but years later, that cost is now irrelevant.

The trick for seeing close-up when readers aren't available: Use your thumb and index fingers to make the tiniest of pinholes (like a mini-"OK" sign) and look through it. Voila! You could even drill a little pin hole in the driver's license or some membership card and pull it out in a pinch. It looks silly to do that, but if you need to read something without readers ...

 

[boofatty]

Done 6yrs ago at age 29. Best money I've ever spent.

Get checked out as you may not qualify. My wife didn't qualify and she's resented my perfect eyes ever since.

 

[Sand]

Done 6yrs ago at age 29. Best money I've ever spent. Get checked out as you may not qualify. My wife didn't qualify and she's resented my perfect eyes ever since.

and Best money spent ever. And you really do need to be checked out. You need enough material in your eye to be carved away and some don't.

 

[GTBilly]

What if something goes wrong?

 

[Das Boot]

I decided not to do it, and my recommendation is to read about the common things that people have problems with when it does go less than perfectly.

The 2 main ones I would have really regretted were dry eyes requiring frequent use of eye drops, and halos/starbursts when viewing lights at nighttime (seems like a bad thing for night driving).

It works great for the vast majority of people it seems, but there are also some who end up regretting it.

I didn't research any additional age related concerns since I was looking at it about 10 years ago, so I'd definitely recommend thoroughly researching that as well.

 

[offdee]

What if something goes wrong?

What if you get hit by a car crossing the street?

 

[GTBilly]

I understand the street point but the thought of blindness scares the hell out of me.

 

[boofatty]

What if something goes wrong?

It's actually a very controlled procedure using a machine. It's not a guy with a scalpel and nervous twitch or hangover. I had the same concerns. The true LASIK is actually a laser (not 100% certain). Just have to research what tools the dr uses and which tool applies to your specifics.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Do they do this while you are awake?

 

[offdee]

Do they do this while you are awake?

Yes. They put drops in your eyes to numb them up. Then they use some suction tool to keep your eyeball in place and the procedure happens. takes about 5 minutes for each eye and there is a 20 second period of that 5 mins. that you "go dark". No real pain (just some minor pressure). Overall not a big deal at all.

 

[JoeSteeler]

also you can you your FSA account to pay for it

 

[theToes]

Done 6yrs ago at age 29. Best money I've ever spent. Get checked out as you may not qualify. My wife didn't qualify and she's resented my perfect eyes ever since.

My wife did not qualify fro traditional Lasik but they did a procedure similar to cataract surgery where they implanted a lens into her eyes. It was called Visian lenses or something like that.She has never regretted the decision. Life changing for her since her eyesight was so bad. One benefit to the lens implants is that it's reversable where Lasik is not. If something goes wrong, they simply remove the lens implant.It costs a little more than Lasik but like I said, it changed my wifes life.

 

[DocHolliday]

I had Refractory surgery done on my eyes when I was 25. That was 18 years ago. It was worth every penny. I would do it again or Lasik in a heartbeat.

 

[Fullback Fro]

As we get older humans tend to get farsightedness at a certain rate. To fix nearsightedness through Lasik , you will compromise farsightedness immediately and need readers at a much sooner time.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Do they do this while you are awake?

Yes. They put drops in your eyes to numb them up. Then they use some suction tool to keep your eyeball in place and the procedure happens. takes about 5 minutes for each eye and there is a 20 second period of that 5 mins. that you "go dark". No real pain (just some minor pressure). Overall not a big deal at all.

No thanks :chickenshyte:

 

[offdee]

Do they do this while you are awake?

Yes. They put drops in your eyes to numb them up. Then they use some suction tool to keep your eyeball in place and the procedure happens. takes about 5 minutes for each eye and there is a 20 second period of that 5 mins. that you "go dark". No real pain (just some minor pressure). Overall not a big deal at all.

No thanks :chickenshyte:

Not like that pic at all. It's all done by an automated machine with a laser. Doctor is just there to plug in settings and oversee.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Do they do this while you are awake?

Yes. They put drops in your eyes to numb them up. Then they use some suction tool to keep your eyeball in place and the procedure happens. takes about 5 minutes for each eye and there is a 20 second period of that 5 mins. that you "go dark". No real pain (just some minor pressure). Overall not a big deal at all.

No thanks :chickenshyte:

Not like that pic at all. It's all done by an automated machine with a laser. Doctor is just there to plug in settings and oversee.

I just cant imagine seeing whats being done. All I can think of is A Clockwork Orange.

 

[offdee]

Do they do this while you are awake?

Yes. They put drops in your eyes to numb them up. Then they use some suction tool to keep your eyeball in place and the procedure happens. takes about 5 minutes for each eye and there is a 20 second period of that 5 mins. that you "go dark". No real pain (just some minor pressure). Overall not a big deal at all.

No thanks :chickenshyte:

Not like that pic at all. It's all done by an automated machine with a laser. Doctor is just there to plug in settings and oversee.

I just cant imagine seeing whats being done. All I can think of is A Clockwork Orange.

You don't necessarily "see" it. The numbing drops they give you kind of make your vision blurry. It's really not a big deal.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Do they do this while you are awake?

Yes. They put drops in your eyes to numb them up. Then they use some suction tool to keep your eyeball in place and the procedure happens. takes about 5 minutes for each eye and there is a 20 second period of that 5 mins. that you "go dark". No real pain (just some minor pressure). Overall not a big deal at all.

No thanks :chickenshyte:

Not like that pic at all. It's all done by an automated machine with a laser. Doctor is just there to plug in settings and oversee.

I just cant imagine seeing whats being done. All I can think of is A Clockwork Orange.

You don't necessarily "see" it. The numbing drops they give you kind of make your vision blurry. It's really not a big deal.

I once hit my eye doctor when she was doing a glaucoma test.

 

[kentric]

Brother had it done mid-40s and no problem. Still doesn't wear any corrective vision 8-9 years later. If your vision however is getting progressively worse (where you change prescriptions every year) then it may not be worth having this procedure done as you may end up needed glasses in another year or two.

 

[Warrior]

A high % of people who have lasik have problems afterwards. As mentioned before, chronic dry eyes and starburts at night are the most common problems.I'll stick to contacts until that % goes waaaaay down.http://www.lasikcomplications.com/dryeye.htm

6/6/2008 PRK patient tells of suicide attempt on dry eye discussion board: "I know from comments elsewhere that some of you don't understand how a person can get to this point, even given how relentless and awful the eye pain is and how numbing the sleep deprivation can make you... I'm really hurting and I don't know how to get past this." Link3/16/2008 LASIK patient takes his own life, leaves suicide note blaming LASIK: "Dry eyes; cannot light a fire, cannot stand in front of air conditioning... Eye surgery has taken my life out of me. The pain - distorted vision... chronic dry eye... is not bearable!!!" Suicide note (pages 6 - 8). Related video

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

What if something goes wrong?

then you get a refund

 

[NutterButter]

Just got quoted $4850 for wavefront guided lasik which i guess is the latest and greatest. This is in northern NJ. That seem high to you?

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Just got quoted $4850 for wavefront guided lasik which i guess is the latest and greatest. This is in northern NJ. That seem high to you?

I paid a little less than that for plain old lasik 7-8 years ago. No idea what the marketplace is like today.

All I know is that it was money extremely well-spent. I had a few visual distortions like starburst and mild ghosting for about six months after the surgery, but they went away and my vision has been essentially perfect ever since, including my night vision.

 

[NutterButter]

Just got quoted $4850 for wavefront guided lasik which i guess is the latest and greatest. This is in northern NJ. That seem high to you?

I paid a little less than that for plain old lasik 7-8 years ago. No idea what the marketplace is like today.

All I know is that it was money extremely well-spent. I had a few visual distortions like starburst and mild ghosting for about six months after the surgery, but they went away and my vision has been essentially perfect ever since, including my night vision.

It lasik something that would need to be repeated after an extended period? The person I spoke to said that they do lifetime adjustments if needed as part of the initial cost, but I can't imagine this place even being in business 20 years from now if I needed an adjustment at that point.

I'm not itching to get this done. I just figured if the price was acceptable, why not. I don't necessary mind wearing glasses or contacts when I go to the beach or go biking. I think I'm going to say I was looking to spend at most 4k, if they don't at least meet me in the middle, I'll walk. Even $4850 would be fine, but I never like accepting the initial price for a "want" not "need" service or product especially from a private small business that has the ability to compromise. I think it would be crazy of them to not do that considering a lot of their costs are essentially sunk.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Just got quoted $4850 for wavefront guided lasik which i guess is the latest and greatest. This is in northern NJ. That seem high to you?

I paid a little less than that for plain old lasik 7-8 years ago. No idea what the marketplace is like today.

All I know is that it was money extremely well-spent. I had a few visual distortions like starburst and mild ghosting for about six months after the surgery, but they went away and my vision has been essentially perfect ever since, including my night vision.

It lasik something that would need to be repeated after an extended period? The person I spoke to said that they do lifetime adjustments if needed as part of the initial cost, but I can't imagine this place even being in business 20 years from now if I needed an adjustment at that point.

I'm not itching to get this done. I just figured if the price was acceptable, why not. I don't necessary mind wearing glasses or contacts when I go to the beach or go biking. I think I'm going to say I was looking to spend at most 4k, if they don't at least meet me in the middle, I'll walk. Even $4850 would be fine, but I never like accepting the initial price for a "want" not "need" service or product especially from a private small business that has the ability to compromise. I think it would be crazy of them to not do that considering a lot of their costs are essentially sunk.

Here's the thing about lasik. Some non-trivial percentage of customers need "touch-ups," meaning that it didn't go quite right the first time so they need to redo the procedure. But that usually happens in the first year when it's obvious that the initial surgery was off, not 20 years down the road. The "lifetime insurance" aspect is just their way of putting your mind at ease.

I was the same as you. I didn't really mind wearing glasses, but I had a mild desire to be rid of them. Thanks to the donks at PartyPoker, I amassed enough money that I felt free to spend some on something frivolous but all-about-me, and I settled on lasik. It was the best thing I ever bought with my poker winnings. Now that I no longer wear glasses/contacts, I would never want to go back to them. I honestly didn't think I would feel this strongly about it until after I was finally free of glasses and could fully appreciate how nice it was not to have to deal with them. I know from other threads that lots of lasik patients feel the same way I do.

 

[tri-man 47]

Like IK, I paid less than that (but still $4,000+) several years ago ...the price went higher for a laser (curved) vs. blade (straight) cut as well as having to pay more for ongoing touch-ups (never needed, and it calls for an annual eye exam, which I didn't keep up on ...and the original company is not in business!).

Also, like IK, my distance vision has remained perfect. However, my vision within about 3-4 feet became a little worse. I wear readers for any close-in work (reading, computers, etc.), which can be irritating at times. I was using readers a bit anyway, but now it's more constant. I'm real pleased to be done with contacts or regular glasses, though.

 

[NutterButter]

Like IK, I paid less than that (but still $4,000+) several years ago ...the price went higher for a laser (curved) vs. blade (straight) cut as well as having to pay more for ongoing touch-ups (never needed, and it calls for an annual eye exam, which I didn't keep up on ...and the original company is not in business!).

Also, like IK, my distance vision has remained perfect. However, my vision within about 3-4 feet became a little worse. I wear readers for any close-in work (reading, computers, etc.), which can be irritating at times. I was using readers a bit anyway, but now it's more constant. I'm real pleased to be done with contacts or regular glasses, though.

Yeah, the literature they give says at my age of 36, my nearsightedness won't be affected but naturally as I get older, it will worsen as it would for really anyone.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

I paid significantly less than that about 13 years ago. No idea what it typically goes for today. Anyway, I'll echo Ivan's thoughts about it being nearly the best money I've ever spent. I really disliked contacts, so I wore glasses most of the time. I didn't really hate them, but I figured I'd be happier without them, so I got LASIK. As it turns out, I totally underestimated how awesome it is to be able to see without corrective lenses. In hindsight, I guess I did really hate wearing glasses -- I just didn't know it.

It took a few months for my night vision to get right. No biggie.

I don't know how much you'd have to pay me to un-do my LASIK and go back to glasses, but it's way, way more than what LASIK costs.

 

[Judge Smails]

So my son got LASIK at the place I mentioned in the original post. Great outcome. My daughter ended up getting PRK in her "good" eye in June, and we went to Vancouver to get PRK with cross linking done on her damaged eye in Vancouver because it wasn't FDA approved in the US. Outstanding result.

So that leaves me. I am so torn. I'm 51, have needed reading glasses since a little after 40, and for the last 3 years my distance vision has started to go (used to be 20-15). Really sucks. So now I wear progressive glasses pretty much all of the time. The first doctor said I was a great candidate for LASIK, and I would just need glasses for reading. OK. Then the top guy at UCLA said I should go the IOL route, get a lens put in that will handle both distance and close up + I'll never need cataracts. Then the world renowned surgeon in Vancouver said that that he would just wear glasses, that there hasn't been enough time to study the effects of permanently putting a foreign object on the eye. So I'm sorta paralyzed, not knowing what to freakin' do, and still wearing glasses I hate.

By the way the surgeon that did my son's eyes was awesome. $1700 for both eyes. The IOL surgery for me would be $9,300.

 

[the hairy scotsman]

So that leaves me. I am so torn. I'm 51, have needed reading glasses since a little after 40, and for the last 3 years my distance vision has started to go (used to be 20-15). Really sucks. So now I wear progressive glasses pretty much all of the time. The first doctor said I was a great candidate for LASIK, and I would just need glasses for reading. OK. Then the top guy at UCLA said I should go the IOL route, get a lens put in that will handle both distance and close up + I'll never need cataracts. Then the world renowned surgeon in Vancouver said that that he would just wear glasses, that there hasn't been enough time to study the effects of permanently putting a foreign object on the eye. So I'm sorta paralyzed, not knowing what to freakin' do, and still wearing glasses I hate.

So, I'm pretty much in your boat. 20/10, 20/15 all my life until I hit 40-ish & my near vision started to go. So I got reading glasses. No biggie. I can live with that, because my distant vision is great. Then just in the last year (I'm 48) I started to notice some problems with my distant vision. Can't handle that. So I went to get my eyes checked and ended up with prescription glasses (progressives) for the first time in my life. I've had 'em for a week. Still getting used to 'em. Can't say I care for them that much for general use, but they're a great help at work where I look at a bank of computers all day with some close and some further away. I don;t think I'm gonna be the guy who wears his glasses all the time. At least not yet.

Haven't been fully examined with LASIK in mind, but if I thought the results would be dramatically positive, I'd consider it. The risks do concern me, however, because losing my eyesight would be one of the worst things I can imagine. The risks the renowned surgeon warned you of would really send up a red flag or me if I were in your shoes.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Just got quoted $4850 for wavefront guided lasik which i guess is the latest and greatest. This is in northern NJ. That seem high to you?

I paid a little less than that for plain old lasik 7-8 years ago. No idea what the marketplace is like today.

All I know is that it was money extremely well-spent. I had a few visual distortions like starburst and mild ghosting for about six months after the surgery, but they went away and my vision has been essentially perfect ever since, including my night vision.

I could have made nearly this exact post. Maybe a year later.. Only minor issue I have is that my eyes take a few seconds longer to adjust when the lights go out.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I paid significantly less than that about 13 years ago. No idea what it typically goes for today. Anyway, I'll echo Ivan's thoughts about it being nearly the best money I've ever spent. I really disliked contacts, so I wore glasses most of the time. I didn't really hate them, but I figured I'd be happier without them, so I got LASIK. As it turns out, I totally underestimated how awesome it is to be able to see without corrective lenses. In hindsight, I guess I did really hate wearing glasses -- I just didn't know it.

It took a few months for my night vision to get right. No biggie.

I don't know how much you'd have to pay me to un-do my LASIK and go back to glasses, but it's way, way more than what LASIK costs.

I was 8 when I got glasses and 13 when I got contacts. In my 30s, when I couldn't see the alarm clock from bed or my daughter's face in the crib while standing right next to it, I couldn't come up with a better use for leftover FSA money. After 25 or so years, I had no idea what I was missing. Like suddenly seeing in HD, too.

 

[NutterButter]

Anyone know if you can pull this off? My lasik doc that I got a consultation from offers a 24 month interest free payment plan. FSA only allows you to deduct $2500 from you yearly pay for medical (including lasik). Say my lasik cost 5K. So with the payment plan, I'd be paying $2500 in year one and $2500 in year two. Can a do an fsa deduction for each year and use that for the lasik payments for that year or are you only allowed to do the deduction for the year in which you had the surgery?

 

[Keerock]

I had RK in 1996 and it was awesome while it lasted... now, 18 years later my distance vision is crapping out. I've needed readers for the last 3-4 years too. Optometrist appointment set in 2 weeks... dreading the progressive glasses/contacts discussion/decision.

 

[(HULK)]

I had lasik in 2002. 12 years ago. I'm still 20/20 vision.

Be sure to get a doc who's done over 10,000, these is a learning curve and you want an expert.

 

[pizzatyme]

Pretty sure the FSA will only cover in year. To get around it, see if they can do one eye one week at the end of the year and one eye the following week at the start of the year. Worth a shot.

I echo the best money I ever spent mantra.

Well, except for the one night in Vegas with Air Force Amy. ?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Pretty sure the FSA will only cover in year. To get around it, see if they can do one eye one week at the end of the year and one eye the following week at the start of the year. Worth a shot.

This should absolutely work, though it'll be a bit of a PITA to go through it twice.

 

[Judge Smails]

Anyone know if you can pull this off? My lasik doc that I got a consultation from offers a 24 month interest free payment plan. FSA only allows you to deduct $2500 from you yearly pay for medical (including lasik). Say my lasik cost 5K. So with the payment plan, I'd be paying $2500 in year one and $2500 in year two. Can a do an fsa deduction for each year and use that for the lasik payments for that year or are you only allowed to do the deduction for the year in which you had the surgery?

I think it's tied to payment, but check your FSA rules.

By the way, that seems like a lot even for Custom LASIK. I went through with mine, custom LASIK and I got a deal for $2900 out the door for both eyes. Best decision I ever made. Distance vision is perfect now

 

[NutterButter]

Anyone know if you can pull this off? My lasik doc that I got a consultation from offers a 24 month interest free payment plan. FSA only allows you to deduct $2500 from you yearly pay for medical (including lasik). Say my lasik cost 5K. So with the payment plan, I'd be paying $2500 in year one and $2500 in year two. Can a do an fsa deduction for each year and use that for the lasik payments for that year or are you only allowed to do the deduction for the year in which you had the surgery?

I think it's tied to payment, but check your FSA rules.

By the way, that seems like a lot even for Custom LASIK. I went through with mine, custom LASIK and I got a deal for $2900 out the door for both eyes. Best decision I ever made. Distance vision is perfect now

Did you do the monovision or no? So many decisions. I wish someone would just drug me, do the procedure and just send me a bill. I hate making discretionary spending decisions. Found out with some googling that the 2500 FSA limit is per employee so my wife and I can each put in that amount to cover the entire procedure.

 

[Judge Smails]

Didn't do monovision. I tried it with contacts and while it worked surprisingly well, I was too afraid I wouldn't adapt. It definitely takes a while for your brain to adjust and process monovision. I got a headache and then said I would go crazy if it was like that all of the time. Doc said if you're the type who wants perfect vision don't do it. At the end of the day I decided to get the best distance vision I could, and that was with LASIK. I only wear reading glasses when I'm reading up close. I'm OK with that. But the LASIK really improved my vision all the way around. I wear reading glasses a lot less than I used to as well.

I went through the ringer as well, took me a year to decide. Understandable, it's an important decision. Considered monovision, multi focal lens replacement, etc and am really glad I just went with custom lasik for distance. Good luck.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

Do we have any eye doctors in the FBG crowd? About 3 years ago, I was told my corneas are too thin for any type of corrective surgery. Anyone aware of new developments that might overcome this? I got it all - nearsighted, farsighted (age ...) and astigmatism.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Do we have any eye doctors in the FBG crowd? About 3 years ago, I was told my corneas are too thin for any type of corrective surgery. Anyone aware of new developments that might overcome this? I got it all - nearsighted, farsighted (age ...) and astigmatism.

Not a doctor but I think there's been improvements that allow them to work on thinner corneas now. Maybe worth seeing the eye doc again.

I've was a little nearsighted for 25 years (52 years old). Most of that time I only wore glasses for night driving. The more I wore them the worse my vision seemed to get (verified btw), so I wore them as little as possible. The last couple years things got fuzzier and my script got stronger. Doc also told me I was a great candidate for lasik. Thing is I'm one of those who can easily read the finest of fine print. I read a lot too. Certainly more than I drive at night. I'm sticking with the glasses for now, but it's becoming a more difficult decision. I don't want reading glasses

 

[NutterButter]

Scheduled my surgery for 5/1. Now that I'm over the cost and have committed, I'm really excited to get this done. Never having to wear glasses/contacts again for distance sounds awesome. Btw, found out that if you have a working spouse, both you and your spouse can put in $2500 into fsa for a total of 5k so that'll save you a nice chunk of money.

 

[el centro]

Anyone know if you can pull this off? My lasik doc that I got a consultation from offers a 24 month interest free payment plan. FSA only allows you to deduct $2500 from you yearly pay for medical (including lasik). Say my lasik cost 5K. So with the payment plan, I'd be paying $2500 in year one and $2500 in year two. Can a do an fsa deduction for each year and use that for the lasik payments for that year or are you only allowed to do the deduction for the year in which you had the surgery?

Nutter… I once worked for a LASIK facility. While most folks opt to do the LASIK surgery on both eyes one the same date, some prefer to do them on separate dates. We had several individuals do one eye the last week of Year 1 (Dec. 24-31) and the 2nd eye Year 2 (Jan 1-7) for the very reason you inquired about.