Does Medical Insurance Cover LASIK Surgery

Eyes provide us with the vision to see the world around us and are one of the most crucial organs of one’s body. With the growing digital age, we are constantly surrounded by digital screens at the workplace or at home. The use of mobile, laptop, Television, air pollution, etc. have aided to scramble our vision. Problems with vision or eyes are rising, many of us face with a certain condition like farsighted or near-sighted think of undertaking eye treatment to correct their vision. Let us understand in detail about the LASIK surgery.

What is LASIK Surgery?

LASIK is a type of refractive eye surgery carried out for the correction of vision. The LASIK surgery or the Laser Eye Surgery is done to overcome or correct the medical condition of eyes like hyperopia, myopia as well as astigmatism. A laser surgery, LASIK is actually quite a complicated one. It is just not the surgery that is complicated but the entire procedure involved in the surgery is intricate. LASIK surgery is an effective treatment for correcting vision problems. With the help of LASIK treatment, you can obtain or regain perfect vision

Advantages of Lasik Surgery:

Lasik Surgery has benefits including:

1. A 100% Proven track record of 25 years or more in correcting visions of patients.
2. Patients gain desired vision thereby reducing their dependency on family, friends or tools
3. Lasik Surgery involves very little pain
4. The LASIK procedure corrects the vision nearly after the day of surgery
5. The procedure does not involve any scar, bandage, stitches, etc.
6. In case of further correction of vision, adjustments can be done after the surgery
7. Post the LASIK surgery the patients enjoy vision clarity and even the dependence on eyeglasses or contact lens reduces. In many cases, patients no longer depend on them.

Disadvantages of LASIK Surgery

LASIK Surgery is one of the most advanced treatments in eye care. This treatment ensures the correction of vision with the help of a laser. Even though the surgery has a lot many advantages there are certain disadvantages that the patients need to understand before undergoing the procedure. The following are certain important points that patients need to focus on:

1. Lasik treatment and surgery are a complex treatment as it involves the treatment of the eye. The treatment involves surgery with the help of a laser. Even though the treatment are been successfully carried out for 25 years but one can deny ‘RARE’ occurrence of problems. Even if the possibility of a problem is rare, but it can permanently affect the eye and its vision.
2. Being an eye care treatment, it is important for patients to choose a doctor who has in-depth knowledge and experience in the field of laser eye correction treatment and has carried out extensive successful surgeries.
3. LASIK surgery is an expensive eye care treatment. The cost of treatment can vary anywhere between Rs 40000 to Rs 100000 depending upon various factors like age of the patient, type of treatment, and the approach of treatment.

Thus, the major discomfort in obtaining Lasik surgery is the cost of treatment. Being a complicated surgery, it is important for the patient to understand the treatment and be financially secure to cover the cost of treatment

Lasik Surgery and Mediclaim

Eyecare is an expensive treatment, so being financially ready for obtaining the treatment is very important. Mediclaim policies in India have a broad say on the coverage offered on Lasik Surgery. Most of the insurance providers consider Lasik treatment as elective surgery. Earlier the treatment was not covered under the Mediclaim policy as the insurance providers considered it as a cosmetic treatment. However, the providers used to provide the cover under certain circumstances as under:
Eye surgery to be done for the correction of refractive errors that are caused due to an injury.

1. Eye surgery to be done for the correction of refractive errors that are caused due to errors of previous surgery.
2. Eye surgery to be done for correction of severe refractive errors. However, Insurance cover offered under these cases is generally very inconsistent. So, it is important to check the conditions of coverage with the insurance provider.
3. Eye surgery to be done when a patient has physical limitations and is unable to wear glasses or lenses.
4. In the case, KP Desai v/s The United India Insurance Company Ltd, the Maharashtra State Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum ruled in KP Desai’s favour that LASIK surgery is not cosmetic surgery. Therefore, it is imperative for individuals to ask whether LASIK surgery is covered under the Mediclaim Policy.

Final Words

Religare Health Insurance Company, Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance company, and ICICI Lombard are pioneer insurance providers who offer customized Medical insurance policies to cover the cost of LASIK treatment. Every insurance provider offers an exhaustive list of Exclusions of the Mediclaim policy, so if LASIK surgery is not a part of exclusions then it is best to check with the insurance provider whether the cost of treatment is covered or not. Also, obtain a detailed understanding of the terms and conditions pertaining to the claim settlement procedure under Lasik Surgery.