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by bgroins 2924 days ago
> I have no evidence to back this up, but I'm guessing...

I don't understand. You have admittedly have zero evidence that paying less for a LASIK procedure results in more complications, yet you seem to have a very strong opinion about it. What does the cost of the procedure or advertising techniques of the practitioner have to do with the quality of outcome? If you get a great deal on a new car, do you think that car is going to break down more often than one that cost the sticker price?
1 comments
sp1ffy1 2924 days ago
I think it's pretty obvious that on the whole, quality is generally proportional to cost.

There are plenty of times when I choose the cheapest option, but surgery that permanently affects the rest of my life is not one of them.

Additionally, I would say that buying a used car is a more apt analogy since new cars don't usually differ in any way. Different surgeons use a variety of different equipment and have widely varying levels of experience. If I saw a used car that was well below market price, I would be suspicious that something was wrong with it.

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bgroins 2924 days ago
> I think it's pretty obvious that on the whole, quality is generally proportional to cost.

There are numerous examples that this is not true, and is a very common consumer misconception. If you found a LASIK place that charged $50,000 for the procedure, doesn't that make it a better quality procedure by your own definition? What about $500,000? Expensive wine comes to mind. It's easy to find examples of consumer perceived value in the wine industry. I can get a $20 bottle of wine at Costco that costs $40 at a nice restaurant. I'll still pay the $40 because it adds to the dining experience, but at the end of the day I'm drinking the same $20 wine. Natural diamonds have massive perceived value but you can get a lab produced, flawless version for a fraction of the price. Consumers put a higher value on natural diamonds because of clever marketing and decades of supply chain manipulation to make them seem rare.

> Different surgeons use a variety of different equipment and have widely varying levels of experience.

That's true and definitely something to consider other than just the cost. The cost of something shouldn't be the sole indicator of the quality, so telling people to stay away from cheap LASIK centers solely on cost is not giving a complete picture. It's going to vary from center to center often times regardless of cost. Here's a good read on perceived value: https://moneyandvalues.blogspot.com/2008/03/psychology-of-mo...

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