FTC to refund $1.25 million to those tricked by LASIK surgery chain

Nearly 160,000 Americans could beryllium eligible for a refund if misled by the nation's biggest LASIK chain, which advertised the country for arsenic small $300 an eye, adjacent though astir consumers would not suffice for that price, the Federal Trade Commission said connected Tuesday. 

Ohio-based LCA-Vision, operating concern nether the names LasikPlus and Joffe MediCenter, paid $1.25 cardinal to settee claims that it utilized deceptive bait-and-switch advertizing to instrumentality radical into reasoning they could person their imaginativeness corrected for little than $300, according to the FTC. 

"Many radical wasted their clip astatine LASIK consultations lone to larn that the country would outgo overmuch much than they expected," the bureau stated. 

Only 6.5% of those who came successful for a consultation were eligible for the advertised promotional terms for some eyes, which required having near-normal vision, oregon bully capable oculus show to thrust without glasses. Everyone other was typically fixed a terms of betwixt $1,800 and $2,295 per eye, the FTC said.

In addition, immoderate ads neglected to authorities upfront that the advertised terms was per eye.

The committee is sending notices to 159,711 consumers who could beryllium eligible for a payment, provided they visited a LasikPlus oregon Joffe MediCenter installation for a LASIK consultation but declined country aft learning the existent price. 

Consumers tin record a assertion online by May 20, 2024, astatine www.ftc.gov/lasik. 

Payment amounts volition beryllium connected respective factors, including however galore radical record a claim.