Treatment guide

LASIK Surgery

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, more commonly referred to as LASIK surgery, is a popular treatment for those looking to improve their vision. Struggling with our eyesight can make day to day life tiring. And for some of us, glasses or contact lenses just aren’t viable options. In those cases, you shouldn’t be left with having to put up with blurry vision. Thankfully, LASIK eye surgery provides a great alternative option.

As one of the most commonly performed ophthalmology treatments, you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to choosing where to go for your LASIK surgery. Qunomedical is here to make this process easier. This dedicated treatment page provides you with everything you need, including information on pricing and treatment options at home and abroad.

The content has been reviewed for quality and accuracy to the best of our knowledge by Qunomedical and its Medical Board of Experts.

JuliaJuliaPatient Manager
Still unsure? We'll find the right doctor together!
+44 1466 455033
★★★★★Gael D., Germany:
“Qunomedical helped me so much! Thank you!“
★★★★★Gael D., Germany:
“Qunomedical helped me so much! Thank you!“

LASIK Surgery Quick Details

WHO IS THIS FOR

  • Individuals in good health with healthy eyes.

  • Those who have had a stable prescription for 12 months.

  • Patients with up to -11.00 diopters of nearsightedness, up to +5.00 of farsightedness, or up to 5.00 of astigmatism.

  • Those looking to dispense with the inconvenience and continual cost involved in glasses and contact lens.

  • Athletes or active professionals who require the freedom offered by refractive eye surgery.

TREATMENT DURATION

  • LASIK eye surgery usually takes around 10-30 minutes in total.

  • However, timing of this surgery can vary slightly from patient to patient depending on individual circumstances.

RECOVERY TIME

  • Patients can go home as little as 10-15 minutes after their surgery although they will need to be transported home by a friend or taxi.

  • It’s possible to return to work after as little as 24 hours or within a few days depending on healing.

  • Total recovery and full vision stabilization can take between 3-6 months.

SUCCESS

  • A recent case-study of almost 100 peer-reviewed studies on LASIK found that 90.8% of 28,000 patients reported 20/20 vision or better after their treatment.

  • It’s also been shown that around 40-50% of patients end up with eyesight that is better than 20/20 vision.

POTENTIAL RISKS & SIDE EFFECTS

  • Irregular astigmatism

  • Dry eyes

  • Under or over correction

  • Eye infections

  • Vision loss or double vision

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

  • Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) surgery.

  • Phakic intraocular lens implants.

  • Epi-LASIK.

  • Refractive lens exchange surgery.

LASIK Surgery Costs: How Much Is the Treatment?

LASIK surgery costs have become more affordable in recent years. The price that you pay for your treatment will be dependent on a number of factors including the doctor or clinic that you choose and where you go to undergo the procedure. Location plays a big role, as prices can vary due to living and labor costs, exchange rates, practicing costs, or regulatory conditions.

Quno Price

Below, we’ve laid out starting prices for LASIK eye surgery across a few different locations. It’s worth noting that these prices are not fixed or guaranteed and they may change from patient to patient, depending on a variety of different factors. They have also only been taken from Qunomedical-approved doctors and clinics.

Below are starting prices for In LASIK across different countries

CountryPrice (EUR €)
Turkey€1,100
Mexico€1,210

What Is LASIK Surgery?

LASIK is a type of refractive eye surgery that aims to correct various kinds of vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. It’s carried out using a microkeratome blade or a femtosecond laser that creates an extremely thin flap on the top of the cornea. An excimer laser or ultraviolet laser is then used to remove corneal tissue. This allows the cornea to be reshaped so that light can be focused clearly on the retina, leading to improved vision.

How Does LASIK Surgery Work?

This type of refractive eye surgery is a fairly quick and straightforward procedure. Below, we’ve outlined a step-by-step guide of how it is generally performed.

1. Pain-Numbing Eye Drops

There are no traditional anesthetic measures involved in LASIK eye surgery. Instead, a numbing agent is administered in the form of a series of eyedrops. These will take effect immediately and last for the duration of the procedure.

2. Flap Creation

Once comfortably positioned in the operation chair, a vacuum ring will be placed on the eye to prop it open and hold it in position. This may cause a slightly strange sensation, but there should be no discomfort or pain involved. The patient is then asked to focus on a light or laser point to keep the eye steady. This light will normally include a tracking mechanism, so the ophthalmologist will be aware when the eye moves from this point. This allows them to pause the treatment to give the patient a chance to re-focus on the light or laser.

The ophthalmologist will then create and fold the flap using specialist, precision instruments. The patient’s vision will dim, blur, or even fade completely during this process, but it should return to normal as soon as the flap is created.

3. Cornea Shaping

Once the flap is created, an excimer laser is used to remove tissue from the cornea to create a new shape and refractive properties. The amount removed will be based on the preoperative evaluation by the ophthalmologist.

4. Flap Sealing

Once the reshaping of the cornea is completed, the ophthalmologist will carefully replace the flap and allow natural tension to hold it in place until an initial surface healing has occurred.

Are There Different Types of LASIK Surgery?

When it comes to planning your treatment together with your ophthalmologist, they may discuss the various types of LASIK with you. There are three main types available. The one that you undergo will be dependent on your individual situation.

Traditional LASIK

IntraLASIK

Custom LASIK

What Should I Expect From LASIK Surgery?

You should do a careful self-assessment before deciding to pursue LASIK surgery. The level of risk and outcomes can vary depending on your individual situation, and you should aim to balance the risks with the potential positive outcomes. In addition, it’s important to remember that certain occupations do not allow the use of LASIK, so you should check if your current occupation or future career choice is among these.

After undergoing LASIK eye surgery, your eye may be itchy, watery, or even feel like it’s burning. Your vision will likely be blurred and it’s common to experience a little bit of pain. However, your ophthalmologist can administer pain relief medication and your vision will likely recover quickly. Some ophthalmologists also ask patients to wear an eyepatch or similar shield over their eye to protect it during the healing process.

it’s important to maintain a patient approach in the following weeks as results may not become apparent immediately. It can take up to six months for the final outcomes of the treatment to show. If you do experience unexpected symptoms or less than satisfactory results, it’s best to discuss them with your ophthalmologist in a follow-up as soon as possible. This is because your possibilities for improved eyesight are partly based on how your eyesight was prior to undergoing LASIK surgery.

LASIK Surgery: Abroad or at Home?

Travelling to undergo LASIK surgery abroad may not be something that you would’ve considered before. However, the popularity of travelling overseas for this treatment is consistently rising. There are a few reasons that can account for this.

  • Lower costs: LASIK surgery costs abroad are often much lower than in the UK or US. As we can see above, travelling to have LASIK in Turkey can save you a significant amount of money, compared to having the treatment at home.

  • Highly-experienced ophthalmologists: Ophthalmology clinics abroad are home to some of the most highly-experienced and renowned ophthalmologists. This ensures that you’ll receive a quality of care that is the same, or even higher, than you would at home.

Interested in finding out more about the clinics and people involved in LASIK surgery? Check out our worldwide list of LASIK clinics where you can find information on the staff involved, prices, and reviews from past patients. Within our clinic pages you can also find information on specific doctors that perform LASIK eye surgery. Dr. Rifat Rasier, MD for example, is leading ophthalmologist at the Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital in Turkey. Dr. Rasier boasts outstanding qualifications, as well as national accreditations.

What Do We Need From You?

If you choose to have your LASIK surgery abroad, there are a few things that you may need to send to your chosen clinic, especially if you're not able to attend the initial consultations. Your ophthalmologist may ask you to send:

  • A corneal map report (orbscan or pentacam)

  • A pachymetry report

These are used to evaluate your suitability for LASIK surgery. If you're not able to attend initial consultations abroad, then you may need to obtain these from your local ophthalmologist before undergoing treatment.

Why Choose Qunomedical?

At Qunomedical, we always take a patient first approach. Our company was built on the passionate belief that nobody should face barriers to accessing high-quality, affordable healthcare. We’ll only ever provide you with information on clinics and ophthalmologists that have been thoroughly vetted. To do this, we employ our proprietary scoring system, Qunoscore. This uses 21 unique data points, analysing qualifications, experience, accreditations, prices, reviews, and much more. This allows you to rest assured knowing that wherever you choose to have your LASIK surgery, you’ll be receiving high-quality care, at a fair price.

LASIK Reviews

LASIK Reviews

5
Excellent ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
★★★★★
18.04.2023

Excellent. Ioannis is an excellent ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ customer care assistant, he was most kind and fast to answer and solve all my queries. Great deals, good prices. We are very happy with arrangements and hoping that the operations will go perfect as well. Thanks again!

Ionut Iacov
  • Trustpilot
  • Hermes Clinics Istanbul
  • FUE Hair Transplant Surgery
  • LASIK Surgery
Thanks CODET VISION!!
★★★★★
11.04.2019

Great place! I would totally recommend this place. My husband struggled with finding a eye doctor out in LA that would help him out with his condition, thankfully Codet was able to help.Thanks CODET VISION!!

Jocie Corona
  • LASIK Surgery
Incredible professionalism and service
★★★★★
11.04.2019

Incredible professionalism and service. After 15 years of struggling with issues, the team of physicians at CODET created a care plan that has me feeling better than ever. I hadn't been to Tijuana in 18 years but I am so glad I did. They offer a medical pass for when I drive myself to and from appointments but also have a driver that will pick me up and bring me back.

Cindy Murphy
  • LASIK Surgery
Deep gratitude
★★★★★
20.11.2018

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr. Muzafer Öztürk, the ophthalmologist in the Memorial Bahçelievler İstanbul. For his professionalism, modern examination and treatment methods and his sensitive and caring nature. And for his kindness, attention and understanding. I wish you all the best!

Lyudmila I.
  • Mehmet Melih Cicek
  • LASIK Surgery
  • Memorial Bahcelievler Hospital
  • Mehmet Dogruer
Frieda

Patient manager

Frieda

Your personal Patient Manager

Let's talk

Still unsure? Feeling overwhelmed? Talking to a real person can give you the guidance and reassurance needed. You don’t have to do it alone. Let’s find the right doctor together.