LASIK eye surgery market size 2023 and forecast to 2031 (2023)

FAQs

What is the size of the LASIK industry? ›

North America LASIK eye surgery devices market surpassed USD 590 million in 2021.

Will Laser Eye Surgery Get Better in the Future? Yes, laser eye surgery technology is constantly advancing and improving. The future of surgical vision correction is bright, with new refractive correction techniques and technologies on the horizon.

LASIK surgeons blame the economy, citing that it has yet to recover from the recession, meaning that fewer people can afford the surgery. While this may be true, other ophthalmologists claim that the millennial generation is choosing different ways to care for their eyes, if they choose to care for their eyes at all.

LASIK has a long record of safe and effective medical outcomes. Most people who undergo LASIK do not experience lasting complications, and they have significant improvements in their vision. Another factor to consider before deciding on LASIK is cost.

FEEL THE DIFFERENCE.

We are North America's largest LASIK Eye Surgery provider. More than 2.2 million LASIK procedures have been performed at TLC Laser Eye Centers.

LASIK MD is a North America provider of laser vision correction and the largest provider of laser vision correction in North America based on procedure volume.

One of the biggest advancements in LASIK is the introduction of improved tools. An excimer laser and microkeratome were originally used to cut a corneal flap. The Kremer Exciser Laser was approved by the FDA in 1995. This tool was equipped with eye-tracking technology that vastly improved efficacy and safety.

In less than 100 years, corneal surgery has gone from an experimental stage with blades to a highly-technical all-laser surgery. Since then, LASIK research has emphasized increased precision during surgery so the patients can have the best results possible.

Today, there's an even more advanced laser used in LASIK surgery: a femtosecond laser. Studies have shown that the femtosecond laser allows for more predictable corneal flap thickness, a decreased risk of corneal abrasions during the procedure, and a decreased risk of induced astigmatism after LASIK.

How Safe is LASIK? All surgeries carry some risk of complications and side effects, but LASIK is generally considered a safe procedure with a low complication rate. In fact, LASIK is one of the safest elective surgical procedures available today, with a complication rate estimated to be less than 1%.

How many times has LASIK gone wrong? ›

The LASIK complication rate is less than 1%. LASIK complications include infections as well as dislocation of the corneal flap that's made during the surgery. Surgical complications from laser vision correction are extremely rare.

Prescription and maintenance costs

Between the cost of buying new glasses and contacts, many people don't like the burdens associated with eyewear. Lasik allows the user to live glasses- and contact-free, relieving them on the financial burden of replacing or maintaining glasses or contact lenses.

While there is currently no age limit for older adults wanting LASIK surgery, there are some vision conditions affecting adults age 40 and above that can't be treated with this surgery. These conditions are: Presbyopia or blurry near vision typically occurring around age 40. Cataracts or glaucoma.

LASIK permanently corrects the vision prescription that you have at the time of surgery. This means that it cannot wear off. However, any underlying conditions such as presbyopia that progress over time can cause changes to your vision, making the original LASIK procedure less effective.

Thankfully, there is no absolute LASIK eye surgery age limit. As long as you're in good general and ocular health and you are a candidate, there is no reason that an older individual can't undergo refractive surgery.

Intraocular lens implants are another top LASIK eye surgery alternative. During this procedure, an artificial lens is inserted into your eye to replace the natural lens. It is commonly used to treat cataracts and is a less expensive alternative to LASIK surgery.

The most cutting-edge LASIK technique currently available uses Wavefront technology. Wavefront is a customized LASIK procedure that allows your eye doctor to correct vision specific to your needs. The cornea alone has thousands of different measurements, making the eye similar to a fingerprint.

Kim Kardashian gets LASIK eye surgery from Dr. Robert Maloney on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

LASIK surgery in Mexico, Costa Rica, and India, is cheap and of high-quality. Though it might seem incredible, it is true that medical tourism can offer excellent eye treatment at the lowest possible costs.

What is more advanced than LASIK? ›

Although Lasik is a form of laser eye surgery that has evolved from PRK, many experts, including our own renowned ophthalmologist, Dr. Jeffrey Minkovitz, strongly advocate PRK as the superior choice. The key difference between the two types of laser eye surgery lies in the access to the cornea.

Overall Rate of Success

Though the success can vary from patient to patient, the vast majority of those who undergo LASIK surgery achieve excellent results. It's estimated that around 92 percent of patients achieve vision of 20/40 or better.

Once the full healing process after Eye LASIK surgery has been completed, your optimum visual acuity will be reached. After 3 to 6 months your eyesight will have reached its optimum benefit from the surgery. In many cases 20/20 vision is achieved, but some patients find they need reading glasses for close work.

You have a disease or are on medications that may affect wound healing. Certain conditions, such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency states (e.g., HIV) and diabetes, and some medications (e.g., retinoic acid and steroids) may prevent proper healing after a refractive procedure.

One eye firmly on the future of Laser Eye Surgery

Future developments will likely include advances in laser technology that will make Laser Eye Surgery suitable for more people at lower costs. But thanks to these latest innovations, it is already possible to get fighter pilot vision in a matter of minutes.

Glaucoma has been reported as a rare complication following LASIK. Glaucoma is a disease in which the optic nerve (the nerve that connects the eye to the brain and enables us to see) is damaged due to high pressure inside the eye (called intraocular pressure, or IOP).

Overcorrection and Undercorrection

Undercorrection is the most common complication after primary LASIK. Overcorrection is mostly seen after retreatment. Both are related to the ablation algorithm, nomogram, age, and the amount of refractive error.

LASIK is a popular alternative to glasses and contact lenses. LASIK is a vision correction procedure that treats refractive errors. These include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and, yes, even astigmatism.

Are there any risks? Most people have some visual side effects and discomfort in the weeks or months after surgery but these should gradually settle down. Serious complications are more common after RLE than after laser eye surgery or PIOL surgery. About 1 in 500 people have significant loss of vision after RLE.

Success Rate of LASIK

About 95 percent of people report satisfaction with their procedure, even when the results were less than 20/20 vision.

How many Americans get LASIK? ›

700,000 Fellow Americans Get LASIK Each Year

An estimated 700,000 patients in the United States undergo LASIK annually, making it one of the most popular elective surgeries (of any kind) around.

If you're over 50, but have little to no signs of cataracts developing, you may be a candidate for LASIK. In fact, corneas strengthen with time, so in some ways, patients in their 50s are at less risk than patients in their teens and 20s!

A review of 424 LASIK patients in their 40s through 60s showed that outcomes were generally similar regardless of age, but older patients were slightly more likely to need a repeat treatment or enhancements. However, there are some age-related issues that could mean LASIK is not the right choice for you.

The good news is that no one is too mature for laser vision correction. You may be able to schedule LASIK after 50 years old. You should know that not everyone is a candidate for LASIK.

With modern LASIK, the enhancement rate is 1-2 percent in the first 12 months and then about 1 percent a year after that as patients' eyes can change with time. So, for example, 10 years after LASIK, approximately 10 percent of patients may require an enhancement procedure to maintain their excellent vision.

If you had moderate to high astigmatism prior to your LASIK procedure, it's possible that your eyes have regressed due to the healing process. This can happen naturally and isn't necessarily a sign of any complication from the procedure.

Your Eyesight after LASIK

Many will never again require glasses or contacts. Your vision may change after surgery, but if it does, LASIK will still be a benefit. Changes in vision are typically minor, and most patients report better eyesight for a lifetime after their LASIK procedures.

LASIK Enhancement Surgery Options

Yes! A LASIK touch-up after 15 years could either mean PRK or repeat LASIK surgery. In the case of LASIK surgery, the only difference is the tools that the doctor uses to re-lift the corneal flap. As soon as the flap is lifted, it takes up to a few minutes to reshape the cornea.

Of course, LASIK eligibility depends on quite a few factors, several of which are unique from person to person. But the answer is generally yes – LASIK is worth it after 40. LASIK is safe and effective for patients older than 40 and produces the long-term value that this refractive surgery is known for.

It leads to problems with near vision, and gets worse as people continue to age. If a person were to get traditional LASIK in their 40s, the benefits of the surgery would only last a few years before presbyopia sets in. Given the limited span of effectiveness, you can see why LASIK is a poor idea after the age of 40.

What are the statistics of LASIK? ›

The Satisfaction Rate for Laser Eye Surgery is 96%

Various studies have been done and they have found that the average satisfaction rate of laser eye surgery stands at around 96%. This is the highest satisfaction rate amongst any elective procedure.

Consider the following example. LASIK at $2,000 per eye may have COGS of about $800, leaving a profit margin of $1,200 and a gross margin of 60%.

Over the past 10 years, slightly less than 800,000 laser vision correction surgery procedures have been performed each year in the U.S.

Around 10 million Americans have undergone LASIK surgery since 1999, when the procedure was first approved by the FDA. Anywhere from 600,000 to 700,000 surgeries are typically completed in one year.

Studies on LASIK

"The latest research reports 99 percent of patients achieve better than 20/40 vision and more than 90 percent achieve 20/20 or better. In addition, LASIK has an unprecedented 96 percent patient satisfaction rate – the highest of any elective procedure."

Even if you want LASIK, there is a small chance that you are not a good fit for the procedure. According to the American Refractive Surgery Council (ARSC), 15 to 20 percent of patients are considered ineligible for the surgery.

LASIK is a big upfront cost. But, in the long-run, LASIK is cheaper than paying for contact lenses or glasses over time. On average, you're paying around $500 per year for glasses, contacts, and accessories. These costs add up, especially when you think about all the extra costs that go with them.

A big qualifier is the level of correction. Most of the cheaper LASIK offers are only valid for a very small percentage of patients who are nearsighted. Once you're there for your consultation and your prescription is found to be higher than their qualifiers, you will find that the cost of LASIK goes up.

While the minimum age for LASIK surgery is 18, there is no age limit as long as your eyes are healthy and your vision is stable.

In general, there is no limit on how many LASIK procedures you can get in your lifetime. Several factors affect whether or not you are a good candidate for enhancement surgery. The thickness of the cornea is one of the main determinations regarding the safety of multiple LASIK surgeries.