Droopy eyelids may result from years of strain on the muscles that lift the eyelids. Droopy eyelid surgery can strengthen the muscles, increasing your field of vision and giving you a more youthful appearance. You can budget for the procedure and identify the best mode of payment if you understand the surgery’s costs.
Costs Associated With Eyelid Surgery
Here are the costs you may incur from the beginning of your treatment:
Initial Consultation Costs
You will need an initial consultation to determine whether you’re eligible for eyelid surgery. Your doctor may ask about your history and lifestyle to assess how effectively eyelid surgery can help correct your droopy eyelids. They may also want to discuss your expectations to confirm you’re on the same page.
Your eye surgeon may have a fixed fee for the initial consultation to cover their time. Depending on your doctor, you may need to pay the consultation fee before the meeting or after you complete the entire treatment. Check with the clinic before scheduling the consultation so you can prepare yourself.
Testing Costs
Some cases of droopy eyelids result from underlying neurological conditions and illnesses like cancer of the nerves or brain tumors. Your doctor may want to rule out the potential of these conditions through blood tests, scans, or tissue biopsies. They may conduct these tests in-house if they have the resources. If not, they can recommend a hospital where you can get the tests done. Research the average costs of these tests to get a general idea of what to expect.
Your surgeon can also conduct a field of vision test to assess the effects of your eyelids on your vision. Confirm whether your nearest clinic includes this test in the consultation fee or if you have to pay for it separately.
Surgical Costs
Surgical fees carry the bulk of total treatment costs since they cover anesthesia costs, surgical instruments costs, and your surgeon’s service. They’re unique to each doctor, so you’ll need to ask for an estimate from your eye surgeon. The estimate can be a ballpark figure. The final cost may be more or less than the estimate depending on the complexity and duration of your eyelid surgery.
Ways To Pay for Droopy Eyelid Surgery
You can get eyelid surgery on the National Health Service, through a private insurer, or pay the costs out of pocket.
National Health Service (NHS)
The NHS can cover your eyelid surgery if you have clinical proof that the droopy eyelids are blocking your vision. You may have to undergo visual field tests to officially document related vision difficulties.
Private Insurer
Some private insurers cover eyelid surgeries when medically necessary. Your insurer may need your surgeon to take photographs and perform a visual field test proving vision difficulties to qualify for the coverage. The insurer may also only cover a portion of the surgery. Review your insurer’s requirements before seeking treatment to know whether you’re eligible for coverage.
Out of Pocket
You can pay for your surgery out of pocket if you don’t meet your insurer’s coverage criteria. In this case, ask for total treatment estimates and payment plans beforehand so you can prepare yourself financially.
Invest in Your Eyesight
Undergoing droopy eyelid surgery can improve your quality of life by increasing your field of vision. Surgery costs may include consultation, testing, and actual surgery fees.
You can pay for the surgery through the NHS or your private health insurer if the droopy eyelids affect your vision. You can also pay for the treatment out of pocket if your insurer doesn’t cover the procedure.