A lot of people suffer from poor eyesight and certain eye related problems. Among one of these is having strabismus or what they call lazy eye where the eyes are not properly aligned. This is attributed to weak or too strong eye muscles. So, what happens is that eye point in various directions. This problem usually occurs among children, but even adults can also experience this problem. This condition results to double vision. To prevent the problem from getting worse, it is essential to diagnose the problem early on so that that the doctor can provide the most suitable treatment. To address the problem, patients would undergo lazy eye surgery. How much does lazy eye surgery cost? It would actually depend based on numerous factors. The amblyopia surgery price is different from one facility to another.
What is Strabismus?
Strabismus is an eye problem where the eyes are not properly aligned. The tendency is that they point in varying directions. For instance, the eye may be looking straight, but the other eye is turning to another direction. This condition can be quite common among children. In fact, in the United States, about 4% of children have strabismus. But many do not know that this eye problem can also happen among adults.
The cause of developing strabismus can be attributed to different reasons. For instance, it is common among kids that are suffering from certain conditions that can affect the brain like prematurity, brain tumors, hydrocephalus, down syndrome and cerebral palsy.
In terms of the symptoms and signs, one of the signs is that the eye is not straight. There are cases where it improves among children. But if that is not the case, the doctor can recommend the most suitable treatment for the patient.
This eye condition is diagnosed during an eye exam. That is why it is essential that parents between 3 and 4 years old should have a vision check conducted by the pediatrician. If the child/adult fails the vision assessment test, there is a need to conduct a complete eye examination conducted by an ophthalmologist. There are cases where the condition can be attributed to genes. If the patient has a family history of strabismus or wearing eyeglasses, the doctor may have to check vision even before the child reaches the age of 3. Based on the complete diagnosis and the results, your doctor will recommend the best treatment.
Strabismus Surgery Cost
The cost of having this surgery would depend as to whether the patient has insurance. But even if you have insurance, you still have to shoulder doctor visit copays, coinsurance about 10 to 50% and prescription medicine copays. The good thing is that when you have health insurance, this type of treatment is usually covered.
How much does lazy eye surgery cost if you do not have health insurance? The treatment would you about $1000 for the glasses as well as for the monitoring. For the vision therapy, you can about $2000. The surgery is much more expensive which can cost you about $5000 or even more depending on the case of the patient. For instance when you look at the rate from the Vision Therapy Center Inc. located in Wisconsin, the cost of vision therapy is about $139 per sessions. Usually, the therapy runs for about 12 to 24 sessions. In total, it can cost about $1,600 or even more. Based on a study conducted by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the strabismus surgery price can cost about $4,200. In other facilities, it can cost about $5,000. Keep in mind that this specific cost still does not include the doctor fee. In Nebraska in particular at the Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, the amblyopia surgery price is $14,000.
On top of the strabismus surgery price, you also have to factor in additional costs. You have to purchase antibiotic eye drops since they are required for patients who have this surgery. The cost is about $10 or less. But for branded eye drops, it can cost about $75. Unlike adults, young children need other procedures. For instance, kids may have 2nd or 3rd procedure which can cost about $5000.
How much does lazy eye surgery cost if there is a discount? This will depend based on the complexity of the procedure and the total cost that you have to pay. But the good news is that the United States Department of Health and Human Services can offer you information as to which clinics offer discounts.
What are included? What paying for the amblyopia surgery price, you would definitely want to know what to expect and what things are included. First off if you are diagnosed with this condition, your doctor will recommend you the suitable treatment and this may vary from one person to another. For kids, doctors may recommend the use of either vision therapy or special glasses in order to correct the problems. Doctors prescribe the use of special glasses for those who have mild strabismus. This is conducted by an optometrist who uses certain tools to train the eyes. As for adults, your doctor may prescribe undergoing surgery where the surgeon makes an incision in the eyes and reattach the muscles.
Searching for Lazy Eye Treatment
Considering that the cost of strabismus surgery is high, you want to make sure that you only get the most effective treatment. You may ask your doctor for a referral. If it is not available, there is the American Academy of Ophthalmology that can provide you with a locator to help you search a certified doctor specializing in this field. For children, there is the American Association for Pediatric Opthalmology and Strabismus. The WebMD can also give you a guide when it comes to selecting an eye doctor.