Getting Eye Surgery at Inexpensive Lasik Clinics South of the Border
Monterrey, Mexico, December 17, 2009
The majority of the poor physical conditions we may suffer from during our lifetime can most often be directly linked to our overall health and how well we take care of our bodies. On the contrary, our visual acuity is something that we are usually born with; it is out of our control. For some people, wearing eyeglasses to treat their vision began at a young age and has continued into adulthood, only to possibly have upgraded to contacts as teenagers or adults. Although the Lasik procedure opened its doors to the public 1987, for many, the hope of having 20/20 eyesight has remained just a dream. Even now, with the Lasik procedures costing approximately $2,400 in U.S., Americans must find quick and easy alternatives to expensive healthcare at home. However, when looking abroad for low-cost healthcare, our priority must not just be saving a dollar, but rather where can we save but also receive the highest quality care available.
Luckily, globalization has created an industry that specializes in providing options very close by. As Heather Wicklow, Manager of Monterrey-based Medical Travel firm Travel For Care, says: “Unfortunately, many people are not aware that inexpensive Lasik surgery is available very close by, at outstanding clinics, and by top doctors.” Creating viable and attractive healthcare services targeting Americans is in the top developmental strategies of various countries. The main issue is what this huge prospective market can do to differentiate the good from the not-so-good services they can access abroad. For large hospitals and institutions, accreditations are the way to go. Organizations like the Joint Commission have created international standards by which foreign hospitals can abide and show the world that they meet US standards. Nevertheless, smaller clinics and healthcare practices, including the typical providers of vision and dental care, have no means to do so. They rely on their reputation to be the differentiator.
In Mexico, high quality ophthalmologists aren’t hard to find. In Monterrey, Dr. Jesus Vidaurri, who did fellowships at both Harvard and Johns Hopkins University, established COSJ (Centro de Oftalmologia San José). And just across the border from Laredo, Texas, Dr. Modesto Vázquez practices out of Laser Especializado, an innovative eye care clinic in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Although Laser Especializado has proved to be on par with the most technologically advanced clinics treating myopia, cataracts, and other vision problems, it is committed to offering this excellent quality with affordable prices to its customers, therefore charging only $900 for the Lasik or PRK procedures (both eyes). As one of its owners, Dr. Modesto Vázquez states, “We have worked hard to create an eye clinic that is complete with the most up-to-date lasers and technology to treat our patients from Mexico and the United States.” With a high level of quality and low prices, clinics like this one are the answer for American patients looking for top-notch, affordable eye surgery, without risking it.
Laser Especializado is Nuevo Laredo’s premier eye care clinic serving both Mexicans and Americans just across the border from Laredo, Texas. Dr. Modesto Vázquez has over nine years of ophthalmology experience during which he has performed thousands of eye surgeries during his tenure.
