Sam, 24, has worn glasses for short-sightedness since his mid-teens. He has a backup pair of glasses for emergencies, and prescription sunnies too. Sam replaces both every 2 years to stay on trend, but having recently taken up bouldering, he finds his glasses get in the way.
Let’s compare the cost of Sam’s glasses with SMILE eye surgery.
- New pair of glasses every 2 years: $250 a year.
- Prescription sunnies every 2 years: $250 a year.
- Total annual cost of corrective eyewear: $500.
- Total cost of prescription glasses over the next 20 years (to age 44): $10,000.
- Cost of SMILE surgery: $6500.
Result: Over the next 20 years, Sam will likely spend $3,500 more on glasses than he would on SMILE laser surgery.