LASIK Surgery in India: Why 50,000 International Patients...

Vision & LASIK · 3 · July 12, 2025

India performed over 50,000 LASIK procedures on international patients in 2025 — a number that's doubled since 2022. The math is simple: wavefront-guided LASIK costs $300-$600 per eye in India versus $2,500-$4,500 per eye in the US, using identical excimer laser platforms.

Technology Parity: Same Lasers, Different Bills

Every major LASIK laser platform available in the US operates in India. Alcon's WaveLight EX500 excimer laser — the world's fastest at 500 pulses per second — is installed at over 40 Indian eye centers. Carl Zeiss's VisuMax femtosecond laser (used for SMILE procedures) is at 25+ locations. The Schwind Amaris 1050RS, popular in Europe, is available at Centre for Sight and Shroff Eye Hospital.

The technology isn't a knockoff or previous generation — it's the current model, maintained under manufacturer service contracts. LASIK outcomes are determined primarily by laser calibration, surgeon skill, and patient selection — not geography.

Top LASIK Centers in India

Centre for Sight (Delhi, 15 locations nationally) performs 30,000+ LASIK procedures annually — one of the highest volumes globally. Dr. Mahipal Sachdev, the founder, has performed over 150,000 refractive surgeries personally. Shroff Eye Hospital (Mumbai) has a 100-year history and performs 20,000+ eye surgeries annually. LV Prasad Eye Institute (Hyderabad) is a WHO Collaborating Centre and combines clinical excellence with a social mission — every paying patient subsidizes care for one non-paying patient.

The SMILE Alternative: Newer, Gentler, Same Price

Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) uses a femtosecond laser to create a small disc of corneal tissue (lenticule) that's removed through a 2-4mm incision — no flap creation required. This means less dry eye, faster nerve recovery, and greater corneal stability than LASIK. SMILE costs $400-$800 per eye in India versus $3,000-$5,000 in the US. It's ideal for patients with moderate-to-high myopia (-3 to -10 diopters) who want the lowest dry eye risk.

Cost Comparison

| Country | Cost Range (LASIK (per eye))

| United States | $2,500–$4,500

| India | $300–$600

| Turkey | $600–$1,200

| Mexico | $800–$1,500

Key Takeaways

- India uses identical laser platforms to the US — same Alcon, Zeiss, and Schwind systems

- Centre for Sight performs 30,000+ LASIK procedures annually — among the world's highest volumes

- SMILE offers less dry eye than LASIK and costs $400-$800 per eye in India

- Total savings for bilateral LASIK: $4,000-$8,000 compared to US pricing

Compare real-time pricing using our global cost calculator.