So, my healthcare savings account finally has enough in it over and above our health care deductible (we have a high deductible plan with HSA. I think it's the best deal going), that I can get my eyes done.
This is something I've been wanting for years, and Uncle Sam is giving me the opportunity to pay for it using pre-tax income, which reduced my tax burden by about $600 this year. So it's like a twofer.
My insurance plan has a 20% discount with one of the laser mills, but I'm not interested in going there.
I want either custom wavefront Epi-LASIK or LASEK; Both because I have large pupils, and because I'm a pilot and the FAA prefers suface procedures rather than full flap procedures like LASIK. It is rare, but sometimes the flap can become dislodged, and in general, the FAA frowns on such thing.
At this point, the FAA, Air Force, Navy, and JSOC all say that Epi-LASIK and LASEK are the way to go; so that's where I'm going with it.
So far I've talked with three doctors, and had three different quotes, of $1600, $1800, and $1900 per eye; before any discount I may or may not get.
I'm hoping to do it early next month, so my eyes will be as completely healed up as possible before the Gun Blogger Rendezvous. Of course, with the surface ablative surgeries (LASEK and Epi-LASIK vs. LASIK) you can still take up to six months for your vision to stabilize (LASIK usually stabilizes in 1-3 weeks); but generally you're 99% done by 6 weeks.
So, anybody know anyone good in the valley? I've talked with Schwartz, Hale, and some other guy whose name escapes me at the moment.
