How much does LASIK cost per eye in 2026?

Modern blade-free LASIK runs $1,800-$3,500 per eye, while the older microkeratome blade technique runs $1,200-$2,200. Expect both eyes together to be quoted at roughly double one eye, though many clinics price the second eye at a discount when done in the same session.

Does insurance cover LASIK?

Almost never. LASIK is considered elective by nearly every vision plan because it does not treat disease — it corrects refractive error. HSA and FSA funds can usually be used, and some employers offer a vision-plan discount of 10-20% at participating clinics.

Is PRK cheaper than LASIK?

PRK is typically $300-$800 cheaper per eye because it does not create a flap. It also takes 4-7 days longer to recover, with more discomfort in the first 72 hours. LASIK recovers in a day; PRK is often the better choice for thin or irregular corneas.

No. A topical numbing drop is used and you feel pressure, not pain. The laser itself makes no sensation and runs for under a minute per eye. Most patients report the discomfort afterwards as scratchiness and sensitivity to light for 4-12 hours.

How long do the results of LASIK last?

For a patient in their 20s and 30s with a stable prescription, results typically hold 20-30 years. Prescriptions continue to change slightly with age, and many patients need reading glasses by their mid-40s regardless — LASIK corrects distance vision only.

Is LASIK worth it compared to glasses and contacts?

Financially it pays off over 10-20 years if you currently spend $150-$600 a year on glasses and contacts plus the time cost of lens changes. Clinically the main benefit is avoiding contact-lens complications, particularly for anyone with dry eye or a history of corneal infections.

LASIK Cost 2026: $1,500-$4,500 Per Eye

At a glance
Blade-free LASIK costs $1,800-$3,500 per eye in 2026; blade-based runs $1,200-$2,200.
PRK is $300-$800 cheaper per eye but takes 4-7 days longer to recover.
Vision insurance almost never covers LASIK — it is classified elective.
A quote must include all follow-up visits for a year; low headline prices often exclude them.

Prices last verified October 2026. Regional variation is significant.

What LASIK costs in 2026

The price you are quoted depends almost entirely on the technology used to create the corneal flap. The modern blade-free femtosecond LASIK uses a pulse laser at an intensity that does not pass through tissue, and commands roughly a 30-50% premium over the older method. What you gain is precision — no blade cut, no reported corneal flap complications, and better the next day.

What you do not gain is a better visual result at one year. Both techniques produce equivalent final acuity. The price difference buys the flap-creation method and the recovery profile, not a better outcome.

Procedure	Per eye 2026	Both eyes	Recovery	Notes
PRK (surface)	$1,200-$2,200	$2,400-$4,400	4-7 days	No flap; best for thin corneas
LASIK with microkeratome blade	$1,200-$2,200	$2,400-$4,400	12-24 hours	Cheapest fast option
Blade-free femtosecond LASIK	$1,800-$3,500	$3,600-$7,000	12-24 hours	No blade; most common premium pick
SMILE (small incision lenticule)	$2,200-$4,000	$4,400-$8,000	24-48 hours	Flapless, preserves more tissue
PresbyLASIK / monovision	$2,400-$4,500	$4,800-$9,000	12-24 hours	Corrects near vision in one eye

What a legitimate quote must include

The lowest LASIK quotes in the US are frequently advertisements for a package that excludes the follow-up care — the visits where complications are actually caught and undercorrections are refined. A quote that excludes them is not cheaper, it is riskier.

Any quote should state, in writing: the full technology being used, whether the surgeon performs the procedure themselves or delegates it, all pre-op testing and consultation visits, all post-op visits for a full year, and what happens if the first procedure undercorrects. A clinic that will not specify these is not a clinic to have this done at.

Ask for this	Acceptable answer	Walk-away signal
Who performs the surgery	A named surgeon with volume figures, present in the building	'Our experienced clinical team' with no named surgeon
Follow-up coverage	12 months included, listed explicitly on the quote	Quote is for surgery only, visits extra
Undercorrection policy	Enhancement included or discounted within 12 months	Each retouch priced as a full procedure
Total price, both eyes	One number, everything included	Per-eye quote with extras discovered later
Technology	Named platform, e.g. a specific femtosecond laser model	'The latest technology' with no model named

What your actual out-of-pocket cost looks like

The gap between the sticker price and what you pay depends on how your plan treats elective refractive surgery, and the arithmetic is worth running before you book. HSA and FSA balances reduce the cost by your effective tax rate, while a 0% clinic financing offer leaves it unchanged but spread.

Scenario	Sticker price (both eyes)	You pay	Effective saving
No plan, full cash	$3,600-$7,000	$3,600-$7,000	None
HSA balance covering the full fee	$3,600-$7,000	$0 from pocket	~25-35% via pre-tax dollars
Vision-plan participating discount, 15%	$3,600-$7,000	$3,060-$5,950	~15%
0% financing, 24 months	$3,600-$7,000	$150-$292/month	None, but no interest paid
Clinic cash discount, 10%, no plan	$3,600-$7,000	$3,240-$6,300	~10%
PRK instead of blade-free LASIK	$2,400-$4,400	$2,400-$4,400	~$600-$1,800 less

The HSA route is the one most people overlook. Because LASIK is a qualified medical expense, HSA and FSA funds can pay it in full, and the money you withdraw never enters your taxable income. A $3,000 procedure funded from an HSA at a 25% effective tax rate is worth roughly $750 in real terms — a larger saving than any discount most clinics advertise.

Insurance, HSA and payment plans

Vision plans treat LASIK as elective, so the coverage is effectively zero. Three routes do work: using an HSA or FSA (both are allowed for medical expenses, and LASIK qualifies), a 10-20% discount through a vision-plan participating network, and clinic financing. Most clinics offer 0% financing over 12-24 months, which is genuinely free money when the rate is genuinely 0% — confirm the rate in writing, because '12 months no interest' often carries a deferred interest balance if you miss a payment.

5 ways to cut the cost without compromising the outcome

1. Compare on total price, not headline price

Two clinics quoting $1,900 and $2,400 are not comparable until you know what each includes. Build a written list of included items and price it identically at each.

2. Ask about the surgeon-volume discount

Clinics frequently discount for self-referral and for patients who commit to a date in a quieter week. Neither is advertised.

3. Consider PRK if your cornea is thin

If your corneal thickness measures at the lower end, PRK is not a cost compromise — it is the correct procedure. Choosing LASIK because it is faster when your cornea is marginal is trading a price saving for a complication risk.

4. Use HSA/FSA funds

Those funds are pre-tax dollars. A $3,000 procedure paid from an HSA at a 25% effective tax rate is a $750 real saving.

5. Bundle the second eye properly

Most clinics discount the second eye when both are treated in the same session. Ask directly rather than assuming the quoted per-eye price applies twice.

The honest downside

LASIK does not stop presbyopia. If you are 45 or older and currently wear reading glasses, you will still need them after LASIK — many patients in that age group choose monovision, treating one eye for distance and one for near, which means no longer needing glasses at all. That trade is not suitable for everyone, particularly anyone whose job depends on precise near vision in one specific eye.

The other real cost is enhancement surgery. Around 5-10% of patients need a retouch within a year for residual astigmatism or undercorrection. A clinic that includes enhancements handles that at no charge; one that does not will quote you a second full procedure.

Resources and next steps

Get written total-price quotes from three clinics, ask each the five questions above, and compare what the price buys rather than what it costs. Schedule a consultation before deciding anything — most clinics offer it free, and it is the only way to find out whether your corneas are suitable for LASIK at all.