How much does LASIK cost?
Standard LASIK costs $1,560 per eye on average in the United States, within a range of $1,230 to $2,625, according to CareCredit, published in December 2025. Wavefront and bladeless techniques cost more. Quoted prices are usually per eye, so the figure for both eyes is roughly double, and insurance normally treats the procedure as elective.
$1,560
per eye, standard LASIK
$1,926
per eye, wavefront
$2,121
per eye, bladeless
The 3 figures above, drawn to one scale so the distance between them is visible rather than only stated. Each bar spans its own range, and the amount beside it is the one printed above.
Cost breakdown
Each table below comes from one source, named underneath it, with the date that source last revised the figures. Everything is a United States figure in USD.
LASIK cost per eye by technique
| Type | Average per eye | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $1,560 | $1,230 – $2,625 |
| Wavefront | $1,926 | $1,480 – $3,737 |
| Bladeless | $2,121 | $1,640 – $3,567 |
A bar for each row of the table above, 3 of them, drawn to the same scale so the spread is visible at a glance. The figure beside each bar is the one the table prints.
What changes the price
- Which technology
- The table above is the main spread. Wavefront maps the eye in more detail and bladeless uses a laser rather than a blade to make the flap; both cost more than standard treatment.
- Your prescription
- A strong prescription or an astigmatism takes more treatment and some clinics band their pricing accordingly.
- The surgeon and the clinic
- Experience and equipment are priced. So is the aggressive advertising of the very cheapest offers, which usually quote the entry price for the mildest prescription.
- What the price includes
- Pre-operative assessment, follow-up visits and any enhancement procedure may be bundled or billed separately, and that difference is larger than most price gaps between clinics.
How to pay less
- Use pre-tax money
- CareCredit notes LASIK is generally eligible under an FSA or HSA. Paying with untaxed dollars is the largest reliable saving available on this procedure.
- Check for a vision plan discount
- Health insurance rarely covers LASIK, but vision plans often carry a negotiated discount at participating surgeons.
- Price the whole package, not the headline
- Ask what an enhancement costs if you need one later, and whether follow-ups are included. The advertised per-eye figure rarely settles the total.
- Ask about PRK
- For some corneas PRK is the clinically better option and is often priced below LASIK. Worth asking whether you are a candidate.
Questions
Is LASIK covered by insurance?
CareCredit states that laser eye surgery is usually classified as elective, so health plans and Medicare generally do not cover it. Vision-specific plans and tax-advantaged accounts are the usual routes to reducing the cost.
Is the price per eye or for both?
Almost always per eye. When an advertised price looks half what everyone else charges, that is usually why.
Why are some LASIK offers so cheap?
Entry prices typically apply to the mildest prescriptions and the oldest technology, and exclude the assessment, follow-ups and enhancements. The quote that matters is the one written after your eyes have been measured.
How long does LASIK last?
The corneal reshaping is permanent, but eyes keep changing with age. Many people need reading glasses later regardless, and a minority need an enhancement procedure.
Where these figures come from
-
LASIK Eye Surgery Cost