Cost & Financing Worksheet

What this worksheet is

This free PDF is a simple planning aid for people comparing vision-correction options like LASIK, PRK, SMILE, ICL, or cataract/lens surgery. It gives you one place to write down estimated costs, financing details, and the questions you want to ask during consultations.

Sightlume is a free matching service. We help people connect with licensed eye surgeons for consultations, but we do not do exams, diagnose eye problems, recommend surgery, or give financial or medical advice. The worksheet is meant to help you stay organized so you can compare consultations clearly and make your own decision.

If you are still learning the basics, you can also review costs or get matched with surgeons near you for a consultation.

What it helps you compare

Surgery pricing is often harder to compare than people expect. One office may show a low headline number, while another may include more testing or follow-up care in the total. This worksheet helps you slow down and compare the details.

Use it to track things like:
- The procedure discussed at each consultation
- The per-eye estimate and the both-eyes estimate if relevant
- Whether the price looks like an all-in package or only part of the cost
- Payment options such as monthly financing, HSA, or FSA use
- What follow-up visits, enhancement policies, or medications may or may not be included
- Your own notes about comfort, communication, and pressure level during the consult

Typical US ranges are often around $2,000-$3,000 per eye for LASIK, $1,800-$2,800 per eye for PRK, $2,200-$3,200 per eye for SMILE, and $3,000-$5,000 per eye for ICL. These are only broad estimates, not quotes. Real pricing depends on the procedure, your eyes, the technology used, and where you live. Insurance rarely covers elective vision-correction surgery.

How to use it well

Bring the worksheet to each consultation, or keep a digital copy on your phone.

1. Fill in only the basics before you go. Write the clinic name, date, and which procedure you want to ask about.
2. Ask the same core questions at each consult. That makes comparisons more fair.
3. Write numbers exactly as they are explained. If something sounds unclear, ask whether the quote is per eye or total.
4. Mark what is not included. This matters as much as the headline price.
5. Leave room for candidacy notes. Many people are not good candidates for certain procedures, and an honest surgeon may say no after an exam.

Good consult questions include:
- What procedure do you think I may be a candidate for, and why?
- What risks and side effects should I know about in my case?
- What is included in this estimate, and what could cost extra?
- If my eyes are not a fit for this procedure, what are the alternatives?

A surgeon should explain risks plainly. Every procedure has real risks, including dry eye, glare or halos, under- or over-correction, infection, flap issues for some procedures, and rare vision loss. Results vary from person to person.

What this worksheet does not do

This PDF does not tell you which surgery is right for you. It does not predict results. It does not replace an eye exam.

Only a licensed eye surgeon, after an in-person exam, can say whether you may be a candidate for a procedure. Even then, it is OK to take your time, get more than one consultation, or decide to keep glasses or contacts. If you want help preparing for that next step, read about candidacy and the exam or review LASIK risks and side effects.

Sightlume only collects contact details such as your name, phone, ZIP code, email, preferred language, and which procedure you are curious about. We do not ask you to send medical history, prescriptions, or health records to us.

This worksheet is educational information, not medical advice or financial advice.