Currently, Lasiks is not medisave deductible except for 3 specific criterias - 

1) A difference of 300 degrees between two eyes 2) corrective surgery from previous procedures 3) Inability to tolerate contact lenses or spectacles. This criteria would only fit a small pool of people which contrasts MOH statement (2019) "The prevalence of myopia in Singapore is among the highest in the world.. by 2050, it is projected that 80 to 90 percent of all Singaporean adults above 18 years old will be myopic and 15 to 25 percent of these individuals may have high myopia." Yet currently the readily accessible option for such Singaporeans are contact lenses and prescription glasses.

With such alarming rates and the benefits of attaining Lasiks such as lasting till the end of your natural life, the cost of Lasiks outweighs the amount of waste and cost of prescription glasses. Putting things into perspective: A standard prescription glasses WITHOUT blue lens starts at a basic cost of $100. Taking into account of singapores’ heavy reliance on technology, the cost inclusive of blue lenses starts at $200. With the recommendation of changing your glasses every 2-3 years, at the age of 22 - I have spent at least $1000 (I only started wearing glasses since I was in Primary School). Therefore by the age of 44, I would have spent $3k - with a bit of top up, basic Lasiks could cover.

Allowing Lasiks to be medisave deductible would mean reducing cost and wastage. In fact, such wastage and cost would really only start due to age related vision issues such as cataracts (in your 50s). It is not just an “aesthetic” procedure, but money saving especially in this financial climate. 

Therefore, I urge MOH to relook and consider the use of medisave for vision correction. Singapore prides itself on having one of the best healthcare in the world - Shouldn’t our eyes be just as important?