LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery cost abroad (2026)
LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery costs from about $1,850 in India to $9,000 in Germany. Typical hospital prices from 129 price records across 5 countries. Pick a country to see its hospitals, surgeons and visa steps.
- 7 days to full recovery
- 5 countries compared
- 98% reported success rate
Prices are hospital price ranges from our database, not a final quote. How we check
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Hospital package = typical price range from 118 hospital prices.
Room and implant choices use rough adjustments (est.). Meals at about $15 per person per day. Flights not included.
Get 3 real quotes for this estimateTop hospitals for LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery by country
How we rankRanked by accreditation, patient rating and review count, then price.
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1 Sankara Eye HospitalCoimbatore North · India · NABHFrom$1,080$1,080 – $2,547 -
2 Istanbul Eye HospitalIstanbul · Turkey · ISO 9001 · USHAŞFrom$1,639$1,639 – $3,600 -
3 Eye HospitalUnknown · Singapore · ISO 9001 · JCIFrom$3,504$3,504 – $6,767 JCI accredited -
4 The One Seoul Eye ClinicUnknown · South KoreaFrom$2,296$2,296 – $5,202 3 doctors listed -
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A free PDF built from today's listed prices. Keep it, print it or send it to your family on WhatsApp.
What's inside
- Prices by country, city and hospital, compared with home
- All-in trip budget: treatment, stay, food, visa
- Day-by-day timeline and recovery milestones
- Visa summary, preparation checklist and questions to ask
- Treatment (typical listed price) 70% $1,850
- Accommodation 14% $350
- Food 8% $200
- Local transport 2% $50
- Visa fees 6% $150
- Estimated total$2,650
Source: medcasts.com · prices as of May 2026
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Top LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery surgeons
LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery prices by country
Typical hospital price per country, from 129 price records in the Medcasts database.
Reference prices outside our network: CareCredit (Synchrony) (2025); Optical Express (2026); CMC Dubai Hospital (2026)
What a hospital quote usually includes
- Surgeon, anaesthesia and operating room
- Your hospital stay and nursing care
- Routine tests and medicines during the stay
- Free Medcasts coordinator, visa letter help and airport pickup arrangements
- Not included: flights and hotel after discharge
Every quote we send lists what is and isn't included, line by line.
Your recovery plan
- Day 1Eyes feel scratchy; vision hazy, clearing within hours to days.
- Week 1Use drops; avoid rubbing, swimming and eye makeup.
- Weeks 2–4Vision sharpens; dryness may persist.
- Months 3–6Vision stabilises; night glare fades.
Medical visa times by destination
Visa processing time by destination
We send the hospital invitation letter within 24 hours of your decision. Check your visa
What LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery patients say
High myopia (-6.5), dry eye prone. Australian surgeons recommended LASIK but I'd read SMILE has less dry-eye effect. Korean program (Seoul) does 2,000+ SMILE cases a year. 2-day trip. No flap (vs LASIK), corneal nerve preservation better.…
Myopia -3.5 both eyes, stable for 4 years. UK private quote £4,800 (both eyes). Istanbul LASIK clinic with femtosecond + excimer platform quoted £1,200. 3-day trip: screening, surgery (15 minutes total), follow-up. Vision 20/20 within 24…
About LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery
Both are outpatient procedures using anaesthetic drops. In LASIK, a laser makes a thin corneal flap, which is lifted so a second laser reshapes the cornea before the flap is replaced. In SMILE, a femtosecond laser cuts a small disc of tissue inside the cornea, which is removed through a 2 to 4 mm opening, leaving no flap.
Most people reach 20/25 or better vision with either method, and results are broadly similar. SMILE may cause less dry eye and keep the cornea slightly stronger, while LASIK can treat a wider range of prescriptions including long-sightedness. Outcomes depend on your prescription, corneal thickness and shape, and healing.
Vision is often clear within a day or two. Plan to stay three to five days for the first checks, and avoid eye make-up, swimming and rubbing the eyes for the period advised. Bring your prescription history and stop contact lens wear before assessment as instructed. Arrange follow-up at home at one and three months.
Usually a good fit if
- Adults with stable prescription for at least a year.
- Healthy, adequately thick corneas.
- Short-sightedness with or without astigmatism within treatable range.
- No significant dry eye.
May need to wait if
- Keratoconus or thin corneas.
- Unstable prescription, pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Uncontrolled dry eye or autoimmune disease.
- Very high prescription beyond the treatable range.
How to prepare
- Stop contact lens wear for the time your clinic requires before scans.
- Have corneal topography, thickness and dry eye assessment; ask which procedure suits your cornea.
- Report pregnancy, autoimmune disease or medicines such as isotretinoin to the surgeon.
- Avoid makeup and creams on the day.
- Arrange transport home.
Questions to ask your surgeon
- Is LASIK or SMILE better for my cornea and lifestyle?
- What corneal thickness will remain?
- What are my chances of needing an enhancement?
- How common is dry eye after each?
- Can SMILE treat my prescription, given that it is used for short-sightedness with or without astigmatism, not long-sightedness?
- Who can review me at home?
Red flags when comparing hospitals
- No corneal topography before surgery.
- Promising 6/6 vision without glasses.
- Doing the procedure on the day of consultation.
- No discussion of surface treatment (PRK), the usual option when corneas are too thin for LASIK.
Questions about LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery abroad
Which country is cheapest for LASIK / SMILE Refractive Surgery?
The lowest typical hospital prices are in India ($1,864), Turkey ($2,620), South Korea ($3,698), out of 5 countries we compare.
What is the difference between LASIK and SMILE?
LASIK creates a flap; SMILE removes a small disc through a tiny opening and avoids a flap, which may reduce dry eye.
Will I need glasses later?
Reading glasses become necessary around age 45 for most people regardless.
Is it permanent?
The corneal change is lasting, but eyes can still change with age.
Can both eyes be done together?
Yes, usually in one session.