Is LASIK an FSA eligible expense?

LASIK Surgery is FSA Eligible

You can pay for your laser vision correction with either a Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account. Before you go ahead and set aside money for LASIK for the year, remember that 15-20% of people who want LASIK cannot have it done for medical reasons. Be sure to speak with your doctor first to make sure you are an eligible candidate.

The pricing of the surgery may vary based on a number of factors, and your FSA or HSA can cover some or all of the cost depending on the price and the amount of funds you have available. Knowing how much the procedure will cost will help you figure out the most effective way to use your FSA or HSA to pay for LASIK.

LASIK Surgery Explained and Payment with Flexible Spending Accounts

LASIK eye surgery is done to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism in the eyes. It's a commonly performed surgery that is short (only several minutes per eye) and painless. The goal is to eliminate the need for eyeglass or contact lenses, saving money and hassle in the long run.

Your LASIK doctor will perform a dilated eye exam to measure things like the shape and thickness of your cornea, pupil size, refractive errors, and general health to ensure you are the right candidate for LASIK.

How the LASIK surgery actually works:

During the LASIK procedure, a specially trained eye surgeon creates a precise and thin incision on your cornea. The excimer laser then reshapes the cornea in a unique pre-specified pattern for each patient The cornea is reshaped to allow light entering the eye to be focused on the proper part of the retina to obtain clearer vision.

Since contact lenses alter the natural shape of your eye, you will be asked to stop wearing contacts for a specified period of time prior to your surgery date.

Traditional vs Custom Procedure

With the Traditional Laser eye procedure, a patient's prescription is measured using the same methods that would determine their prescription for glasses and contacts. With the Custom Wavefront Laser procedure, a comprehensive map of the patient's eye is used to guide the procedure.

Traditional procedures are effective for treating lower-order irregularities like myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia. Custom procedures help treat lower-order aberrations as well as higher-order aberrations such as halos, glare and starbursts.

Awaiting LASIK or still doing research on it and want to shop for eye care instead?

You can buy a variety of eye care products at FSA Store, including contact lens solution, prescription eyeglasses and even contact lenses!