LASIK surgery has often been viewed as an option reserved for people with poor vision. Recently, the procedure was performed successfully on a seal. “Iris” had poor survival skills that were affected by her blindness. The blind seal is now able to see as a result of the surgery and will be able to survive.
The seal calls the Pacific Ocean home. She had been living in the ocean for years as functionally blind. She was rescued by the staff at Sea World when she was a pup this summer. The staff found her starving and abandoned. Unable to see well, she had trouble catching fish. After a series of tests, that staff discovered that she couldn’t see. Her condition is described as “functionally blind” due to having cataracts in both eyes. This condition made her a great candidate for the LASIK procedure. Her sight affected her ability to catch fish, survive and function independently on the same level other seals do. A team of veterinary ophthalmologists was assembled to perform one of the first surgeries of its kind.
After having surgery, she was released back into the Pacific Ocean. She will have to wear special headgear for the foreseeable future. The researchers will be able to track her progress on an ongoing basis using GPS technology. The same methods used to perform LASIK surgery in humans were used on the seal. While cost wasn’t much of a consideration in this case, many Americans weigh the cost of LASIK surgery as a key factor in moving forward with the decision to have the procedure.
Skill, the person’s eyesight, method used, and the technology used play important roles in the average cost of LASIK surgery. The price for this procedure can vary between providers. The cost of LASIK surgery is determined by the person’s vision health. Most of the procedures are quoted per eye although many surgeons quote the total amount of the LASIK eye surgery to patients. According to Allaboutvision.com, the procedure costs on average $2,124. If the blade-created flap method was used, the average cost is $1,580 to $1,630. Reputable surgeons like those at the OaklandEyeClinic.com charge competitive prices for the procedure.
