Low Price Can Mean Older Technology
Most of the time lower price means older technology.
Many of you will recall a time when you’ve seen a new technology appear on the market and thought, “I’ll just wait until the newer version comes out and this one drops in price.”
New car models, the latest smart phones and tablets, breakthrough fitness tech; in such rapidly changing markets you can guarantee you won’t be waiting long until the latest models are yesterdays news.
If we take one of those markets, let’s say one the majority of us are familiar with—laptop computers—it’s easy to see this principle in effect.
Apple are known for their highly fashionable and desirable products—and the hefty price tags to suit. I was always under the impression their products were overpriced, but when my laptop—which I bought on a black Friday offer last year—froze, overheated, and died several times in one day, I succumbed to their allure.
I bought their latest model earlier this year and feel safe in saying that it’s going to last twice as long, and cause me half as much stress (I hope). I realised that if I’m going to use something everyday for the foreseeable future, such an investment makes a lot of sense—not just economically, but physically.
The principle translates into every area of our lives. The more you use something, the more it can have an effect on your health, and the more sense it makes to seek out the latest technology and not always put price first.
Taking care of your eye sight is one of the things which appears near the top of that list—and not without good reason.
The Real Cost of Cheap Deals and Older Tech
Making sense of the Laser Eye Surgery market can be tricky, largely because of the disparities in treatment price between private clinics and high street providers.
In a recent Which? consumer report, researchers found treatments priced from as little as £595 per eye, to up to £6000. Just like the laptop market, the higher end of the Laser Eye Surgery market is where you find the latest technology, and the highest levels of performance and safety.
At the lower end, you’ll find discount high street providers who use older technology and look for any way possible to further minimise costs. Along with older equipment, these providers generally have less medical safety protocols, and a lower level of quality control.
As in PRK and older forms of LASIK, this can mean higher risk of complications, some discomfort during the procedure, and a longer recovery time.
It’s also important to note that the advertised treatment price of high street providers may only apply to a small number of prescription types.
Read more about the difference between private clinics and high street providers.
Laser Eye Surgery is still relatively in it’s early stages—making every little step forward in technology a huge leap in performance or safety.
With such recent breakthroughs as The Artemis Insight 100 Insight—the most accurate corneal scanner in the world—patient safety and refractive outcomes are rising to higher and higher levels.
The model of offering low treatment prices in order to drive high quantities of customers through the door just doesn’t work in the ever changing world of Laser Eye Surgery. Unfortunately, this is something many patients have had to find out for themselves through receiving unsatisfactory advice or treatment.
Put your vision in the hands of our specialist surgeons and cutting edge technology. If you would like to book a consultation at London Vision Clinic, or find out more about the technology we use, leave us a comment or give us a call us on 020 7224 1005.
For 2017, we have updated this article to ‘Quick guide: Laser Eye Surgery technology’
