US · Laser eye surgery
Laser eye surgery cost in the US vs going abroad
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
Paying privately in the US costs about $4,990 to $5,790 at the providers we checked. Published prices abroad start at $1,010 in Japan, before flights and a hotel.
- Pay at home
- about $4,990 to $5,790
- Abroad, before travel
- about $1,010 to $3,300 in 5 countries
- Time abroad
- 3 to 4 days: suitability tests, the operation, and a check the next day before you fly
The US figures are median hospital cash prices from a study of prices hospitals published in July 2021 (JAMA Network Open), the only national figures we found. Today's cash prices are probably higher, and your own insurer's price can be very different.
Paying privately in the US
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| LasikPlusUS (clinic network) | $4,990 to $5,790about £3,730–£4,330 · €4,460–€5,170 · C$6,980–C$8,100 | All-laser LASIK, $2,495 to $2,895 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes)“These figures cover the procedure, pre-op exams, and follow-up care.” Price before discounts or promotions. (A bullet on the same page says “$2,495 – $2,595 per eye”, which contradicts the main text.) | LasikPlusread 26 October 2026 |
Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.
Published prices abroad, in USD
Converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded; before flights, hotel and time off work.
| Country | Price range | Difference vs lowest home price |
|---|---|---|
| Laser eye surgery in Japan | about $1,010 to $2,040 | $3,980 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Hungary | about $1,160 to $2,560 | $3,830 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Poland | about $1,660 to $2,780 | $3,330 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Mexico | about $2,100 to $3,000 | $2,890 less |
| Laser eye surgery in Turkey | about $2,850 to $3,300 | $2,140 less |
Add your flight and hotel
Add a return flight and 3 nights to see whether the trip still costs less than paying in the US.
When not to travel
- A prescription that is still changing. Clinics usually want it stable before they operate.
- Dry eyes, thin corneas or an eye disease such as keratoconus, until the clinic has measured and assessed you.
- Anyone who cannot stay for the next-day check, or who needs to fly or drive straight after surgery.
Next steps
Laser eye surgery from the US: questions
How much does a private laser eye surgery cost in the US?
about $4,990 to $5,790 at the providers we checked: LasikPlus.
Where abroad is a laser eye surgery cheapest from the US?
Before travel: Japan about $1,010 to $2,040, Hungary about $1,160 to $2,560 and Poland about $1,660 to $2,780. Add a return flight and 3 nights' hotel to compare the whole trip.
Do I need a referral for a laser eye surgery abroad?
Clinics differ, but a referral or a letter from your own doctor makes the result far more useful: it says what question the laser eye surgery should answer, and it means someone at home will act on it.
Sources
- Cost of LASIK. LasikPlus. Read 26 October 2026.
- Price transparency in hospitals: cash prices for common services (Jiang, Makary, Bai), JAMA Network Open. JAMA Network Open, via PubMed Central, 21 December 2021. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.