Bcbs offer discount on lasik

As a Service Benefit Plan member, your choice of vision correction options includes the most dramatic recent advances in eye care. Service Benefit Plan members receive a 15 percent savings off the retail price or 5% off the promotional price of LASIK and PRK procedures performed at all U.S. Laser Network centers. Please call 1-877-5LASER6 for more information and the location of the provider near you.

EyeMed Vision Care and LCA-Vision have teamed up to provide Service Benefit Plan members with a laser vision benefit that reduces the retail price of the popular LASIK and PRK procedures. These popular procedures are making dramatic improvements in the sight and lives of members throughout the U.S. We are offering this benefit through the U.S. Laser Network , LCA Vision's quality network of laser vision providers.

Laser vision correction is one of the most dramatic recent advances in eye care. People who have been dependent all their lives on glasses or contacts can significantly reduce, or even eliminate, their need for prescription lenses.

• Excimer lasers produce a cool ultraviolet laser beam that can finely sculpt the cornea without affecting surrounding tissue.
• The laser removes microscopic cells within the cornea so that the cornea retains its original strength.
• By reshaping the cornea, the eye can focus images on the retina more correctly, providing clearer vision.
• The procedures are remarkably fast, lasting only minutes, and they are virtually painless.

• LASIK does not remove the surface tissue, therefore the healing time is much faster.
• LASIK can provide better correction for more severely nearsighted or farsighted patients.
• PRK may still be more appropriate for some patients, but more than 95 percent of laser corrections performed today are LASIK.

• You are nearsighted with or without astigmatism
• You are farsighted with or without astigmatism
• You are at least 18 years of age
• For lifestyle reasons, you would prefer not to be dependent on glasses or contacts

Through a detailed screening process, a U.S. Laser Network provider can determine if your eyes, overall health, and lifestyle are suited to laser vision correction.

Laser vision correction can make a dramatic improvement in a patient's sight and in his or her life. Since EyeMed is committed to providing ongoing quality vision care, we are happy to make this technology more accessible to you.

EyeMed is working with LCA-Vision to provide this laser vision benefit through the U.S. Laser Network, giving you easy access to their quality network of laser vision providers. U.S. Laser Network doctors are NCQA-credentialed laser vision correction experts who have performed thousands of successful procedures. This network has over 300 surgical facilities, including 40 LasikPlus Vision Centers.

• You get 15 percent off the retail price of LASIK or PRK at all U.S. Laser Network providers or 5% off the promotional price.
• This fee includes all pre- and post-operative care for one year*.

* At Lasik Plus Centers, if you choose to use your EyeMed provider for pre- and post-operative care instead of the Lasik Plus optometrist, there may be additional fees related to this care. Please discuss these fees with your EyeMed provider in advance of your treatment.

Finding the laser vision correction expert most convenient for you is easy. Simply call the U.S. Laser Network at 1-877-5LASER6 (1-877-552-7376) for further information and the location of the network provider nearest you.

All Service Benefit Plan members are eligible for this benefit.

1. Call 1-877-5LASER6 to find the U.S. Laser Network provider nearest you.

2. Call the provider directly and identify yourself as a Service Benefit Plan member. Your questions about the procedure, price, etc. can be answered at this time. Schedule a consultation to determine if you are a good candidate for laser vision correction.

3. If you and the doctor decide that laser correction is for you, schedule a treatment date.

4. To activate your discount, call the U.S. Laser Network again at 1-877-5LASER6 with your scheduled treatment date, and to remit an initial refundable deposit. Your deposit amount is applied to the total cost of the procedure. A representative will issue you an authorization number confirming your EyeMed discount. This number will be sent to your U.S. Laser Network provider prior to your treatment.

5. On the day of your treatment, pay or arrange to pay the balance of the fee. Payment arrangements, if available, can be discussed during your initial consultation. After your treatment, follow all post- operative instructions carefully and schedule any required follow-up visits to ensure the best results from your laser vision correction.

• They are committed to maintaining their leadership status in the industry through their continued investment in research and technology.
• They were the first to develop a free-standing laser vision center in North America.
• They have nearly a decade of experience in laser vision correction.

• Providers participating in the U.S. Laser Network have their credentials verified through an NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance) approved process. This process meets or exceeds the health insurance industry's highest standards for provider credentialing.
• Providers must submit documentation of their laser vision training and experience and be approved by a committee of similarly licensed eyecare professionals.
• LCA Vision ensures that the U.S. Laser Network continues to provide quality vision correction through a Quality Assurance Program that includes peer review, patient surveys, and outcome evaluations.

Q. How do the LASIK and PRK procedures work?

Laser vision correction uses a laser to reshape the cornea to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Refer to What are LASIK and PRK? for more information about these two procedures.

Q. Am I a good candidate?

• Are nearsighted or farsighted, with or without astigmatism
• Are at least 18 years of age
• Prefer not to be dependent on glasses or contacts

The U.S. Laser Network doctor or your EyeMed eye care provider will perform a detailed screening process to determine if your eyes, overall health, and lifestyle are suited to laser vision correction.

Q. Is laser vision correction painful and what are the potential complications?

You will receive anesthetic eye drops to prevent any discomfort during the procedure. Most patients describe the actual procedure as virtually painless.

• You may have a slight burning or feel like you have an eyelash or grain of sand in your eye. This usually occurs in the first 12 -24 hours after the procedure.
• Your eyes will probably water or tear for the first couple of days.
• You may have red or swollen eyes during the first 48 hours.
• Your vision may be blurry for the first 48 -72 hours and will gradually clear.
• During the first few weeks, your vision may fluctuate slightly or you may experience some haziness or glaring.
• You may experience some increased sensitivity to light for the first few days after the procedure.

Other more serious complications that affect vision are reported at less than 1 percent.

Q. How safe is the procedure?

LASIK and PRK have been studied extensively for years in clinical trials. The lasers are currently both FDA-approved, meaning that they have been determined safe and effective according to the FDA's strict set of standards.

U.S. Laser Network doctors are NCQA-credentialed laser vision correction experts who have performed thousands of successful procedures. They use a state-of-the art excimer laser system that is computer-controlled. This technology gives them superior precision and gives you ultimate safety.

Q. What is the long-term success of the procedure?

The dramatic improvements in vision from LASIK and PRK are designed to be permanent. Patients who underwent laser vision correction in the early clinical trials over 10 years ago have experienced excellent vision stability.

In the very few instances where the expected improvement in vision is not achieved with the initial procedure, U.S. Laser Network providers will perform any additional enhancement procedure to improve the outcome at very little or no extra cost. The terms of any enhancement procedures will be discussed with you during your initial consultation.

Q. How can I find a U.S. Laser Network provider?

Over 300 laser vision correction facilities are conveniently located throughout the U.S. Call the U.S. Laser Network at 1-877-5LASER6 for further information and the location of the network provider nearest you.

Q.Who can I call if I have more questions about this procedure?

If you still have questions about LASIK and PRK procedures at this point, we recommend scheduling a consultation. More specific questions about the technology, the procedures, and whether or not laser vision correction is right for you are most thoroughly answered by a U.S. Laser Network provider.

Q. Will I still need to wear glasses after laser vision correction?

While most people who undergo laser vision correction achieve 20/40 vision or better, there may still be a need for reading glasses or other corrective eyewear. However, the prescription will not be nearly as strong as that required before laser treatment and may only be needed for certain activities. Even in cases in which corrective eyewear is still required, most people have found that they now enjoy a dramatic lifestyle change due to the vision improvement they experience.

It is always important to protect your eyes from the effects of the sun. While everyone should wear adequate sun protection, a good pair of sunglasses is particularly important if you have undergone laser vision correction. This is especially true right after the procedure when you may experience increased sensitivity to light.

Q. Can I still use my EyeMed eyewear benefits if I need to?

Absolutely. Use your EyeMed eyewear benefits after laser vision correction for eyeglasses, contacts, or sunglasses according to your particular plan type.