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London - Paris - New York - Sydney - Wellington. What should someone pay for Laser Eye Surgery in New Zealand? There are very few things we purchase that stay at the same price for very long. The price of buying a first home continues to rise weekly, a litre of petrol at the pump fluctuates depending on the state of the world market, and food prices just keep moving forward.
However the cost of getting laser eye surgery to enable you to see 20/20 vision has actually stayed stable in New Zealand. In Wellington over the past 5 years the price for the procedure has remained stable at $3,000 per eye ($6000 for both eyes).
The Wellington price at Bowen Eye Clinic is competitive with other regions in New Zealand such as Christchurch, where it costs $3,190 per eye and in the country’s largest city, Auckland charges patients $2,850 per eye for LASIK.
But while New Zealand has stable prices, the story is somewhat different overseas. Across the Tasman in Sydney prices vary between clinics from A$2700-A$3300 per eye. In NZ dollars this is between $2900-$3500. Sometimes even lower prices are advertised but this is not for LASIK which is the gold standard. The cheaper options usually uses older technology and the Eye Surgeons offering this are not fellowship trained in Refractive Surgery.
In France depending on what procedure you choose, it could set you back up to 2,700 euros an eye. In NZ dollars, that’s $4,631 dollars an eye, not far off the price of both eyes being treated in New Zealand. The higher costs are attributed to the laser manufacturers and health insurance companies costs, according to Paris surgeon, Doctor Dan Lebuisson.
But out of 30 clinics surveyed in France by LASIK candidates, the price difference was quite varied. The lowest was 900 euros [$1,500NZD] and the highest up to 6,000 euros [10,000NZD]. Again the lowest price would not be for LASIK. In London, the cost of surgery is at an elite price, with the London Vision Clinic charging £4900 an eye, that’s nearly $10,000NZD an eye. This clinic says "cutting price is cutting corners”. In the USA you can pay over US$2000 per eye which equates to about $3000NZD.
At Bowen Eye Clinic we don't cut corners and can offer the same high level of care and facilities with the latest FDA approved laser technology. Your surgeon is also a Refractive Surgery Fellowship trained surgeon. You also have the advantage of being seen for a free laser eye assessment locally in Wellington, Palmerston North and Nelson. Comphrensive follow-up care with your surgeon is also available at thes local clinics.
People can easily spend $3,000NZD on glasses and or contact lenses during a decade of life, and this cost only continues to increase. If you are getting tired of your glasses perhaps its time to consider laser eye surgery. The cost in Wellington has never been this good, and the freedom you’ll get from a simple and pain free procedure is a price you can afford at Bowen Eye Clinic.