Why doesn't Medicare cover LASIK?

Medicare does not cover LASIK surgery because the procedure is not considered medically necessary, as stated by Medicare.com. Examples of treatments for vision problems that are covered under Medicare include diagnostic testing, surgery and medication for chronic eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts.

LASIK is a surgical procedure that corrects poor vision resulting from a refractive error, which is a mismatch between the cornea, lens and length of the eyeball, explains MedicineNet. When a mismatch occurs, this may result in farsightedness (hyperopia), nearsightedness (myopia) or blurred vision regardless of distance (astigmatism). LASIK provides people with poor eyesight an alternative to traditional methods of vision correction, such as eyeglasses and contacts.