Medium
One
Ask the surgeon
6 months of check-ups
Not medical advice. Whether this treatment is right for you is a decision to take with a doctor or dentist who has examined you. Talk to your own doctor before you book.
What it is
Laser eye surgery and lens surgery correct short-sight, long-sight and astigmatism. With laser surgery the surgeon changes the shape of the outer layer of the eye (cornea); with lens surgery an artificial lens is put in the eye. They are not usually offered on the NHS.
It is usually done under local anaesthetic (eye drops or an injection) and you go home the same day. Both eyes are often treated on the same day, but for some lens surgery the eyes are done on separate days.
| Type | What it means |
|---|---|
| Laser surgery (LASIK and similar) | A laser reshapes the cornea; in LASIK a thin flap is cut in the cornea first, by a blade or a laser. Rubbing the eye afterwards can dislodge the flap. |
| Lens surgery | An artificial lens is placed in the eye. Some implants can be removed if they cause problems. |
Before you book
- Have a consultation with the surgeon about what will happen on the day, the aftercare and what to do if there are complications (NHS).
- If you wear contact lenses, stop before the eye examination: soft lenses 2 weeks, toric or rigid gas-permeable lenses at least 3 weeks, hard lenses at least 4 weeks, or the measurements can be wrong (FDA).
- Tell the doctor about your past and present medical and eye conditions and every medicine you take, and do not feel pressured into deciding (FDA).
Who it is for
- The eye doctor decides after a thorough examination whether you are a good candidate. Results are generally not as good with very large prescriptions, and you may still need glasses or contact lenses afterwards (FDA).
Recovery and travel
About 20 to 30 minutes; you usually go home the same day. Do not drive: arrange for someone to take you back.
See the doctor within the first 24 to 48 hours: they remove the eye shield, test your vision and examine the eye.
Plan a few days off until burning, watering, blur and sensitivity to light settle. Non-contact sports after one to three days, as the doctor advises.
Up to two weeks before using lotions, creams or make-up around the eye.
No strenuous contact sports for at least four weeks; no swimming or hot tubs for one to two months.
It may take three to six months for vision to stabilise; check-ups at regular intervals for at least the first six months.
Flying home: We found no official minimum before flying after laser or lens surgery. What matters is the check within 24 to 48 hours: stay at least until the surgeon has seen you, and plan the later check-ups at home.
Trips: One short trip, but you need check-ups for at least six months: arrange them with an optician or eye doctor at home before you go.
Put these steps on your own dates
Risks
Loss of vision
Some patients lose vision that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery; complications include a detached retina and permanent, serious loss of vision.
Glare, halos and night vision
Glare, halos, starbursts and double vision can seriously affect night vision; most side effects improve within a few months, but not always.
Dry eye
Severe dry eye can follow surgery and may be permanent, needing intensive drops, plugs or other procedures.
Under- or over-correction, a second operation
The correction can be more or less than intended; a second operation may be needed (fine-tuning, repositioning or replacing a lens), and may not always be possible.
Red flags
- Surgery booked without a thorough eye examination by the surgeon, or a decision pushed on the day.
- A flight home before the check within 24 to 48 hours.
- Promises of perfect vision without glasses; only a certain percentage of patients achieve it.
Questions to ask the clinic
- Who examines my eyes, who operates, and what are their qualifications and registration?
- Which technique, which laser or lens, and why for my eyes?
- When is the check after surgery, and who sees me if something goes wrong once I am home?
- What happens, and who pays, if I need a second operation?
Ask for the answers in writing. A clinic that will not name the person who treats you has answered the first question.
Where to check the clinic
Each country has its own registers of doctors, dentists and clinics. Pick the destination:
The checks that apply everywhere
- Talk to your doctor or dentist at home first. They know your history, can tell you whether you need the treatment at all, and you will rely on them afterwards.
- Consult the person who will treat you, not a salesperson. Video calls do not replace an examination, and a cooling-off period between consultation and surgery protects you.
- Check the doctor's or dentist's registration yourself. Qualifications should be verified independently, not taken from the clinic's website.
- Check the clinic's licence. Clinics need an authorisation from the health authority; in some countries a separate one for international patients.
- Look for accreditation, but do not rely on it alone. International accreditation bodies list accredited facilities abroad, but accreditation does not guarantee a good outcome.
- Get a written plan, quote and contract. A treatment plan and a price should follow an examination by a qualified professional, and a written contract tells you what you can claim.
- Know what the price includes. Follow-up care can carry substantial extra fees, and revisions after a complication add to the cost.
- Arrange your aftercare at home before you go. Follow-up care might not be easily available at home and may not be covered by your health system.
- Get insurance that covers the treatment. Standard travel insurance does not normally cover elective surgery abroad, and an air ambulance home is very expensive.
- Plan enough days before flying home. Surgery and air travel each raise the risk of blood clots.
- Bring your records home, in English. Doctors at home need to know exactly what was done, with which materials and medicines.
- Be careful with agents and holiday packages. Private companies have a financial interest in booking your treatment; the UK government advises caution with websites selling surgery as part of a holiday.
Once you are home
- Get urgent help if floaters suddenly appear or increase, you see flashes of light, a dark curtain or shadow moves across your vision, or your vision suddenly blurs (NHS: these can be signs of a detached retina).
- Bring home your records: the type of surgery, the laser or lens used, and your measurements before and after. An optician or eye doctor at home will need them.
What your health system covers after private treatment abroad depends on where you live:
🇬🇧 If you live in United Kingdom
The NHS does not pay for private treatment you choose abroad, and your EHIC or GHIC does not cover planned treatment. Standard travel insurance does not normally cover you if you travelled for elective surgery: you may need specialist cover.
The NHS is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment abroad, and the Foreign Office cannot usually help: planned treatment is treated as a commercial arrangement. Plan your aftercare and how records will be shared before you go.
🇮🇪 If you live in Ireland
The HSE Cross Border Directive scheme only refunds planned care in another EU or EEA country that is publicly funded in Ireland, with a referral, up to what it would cost in the Irish public system; travel and accommodation are not refunded. So cosmetic treatments and hair transplants, which are not publicly funded in Ireland, are outside it.
Ask your GP before you go how follow-up would work once you are home, and check whether your travel insurance covers planned treatment and its complications: many policies exclude it.
🇫🇷 If you live in France
Purely aesthetic procedures are not reimbursed by the Assurance Maladie, in France or abroad, and neither is the follow-up care of such an operation. Planned care abroad is only reimbursed when it is reimbursable in France, sometimes with prior authorisation.
If a complication occurs, the care it needs is medical and is covered normally. A result you are unhappy with is not a complication: corrective work is at your cost.
🇺🇸 If you live in United States
Check whether your health plan covers anything abroad: most do not cover planned treatment, and Original Medicare generally does not pay for care outside the United States, with limited exceptions. Consider supplemental cover, including medical evacuation.
Seek care promptly if a complication develops, during travel or after you return, and bring your overseas records in English. Legal recourse abroad may be more limited than in the United States.
🇦🇺 If you live in Australia
Medicare doesn't cover you when you're overseas, reciprocal health care agreements only cover some situations, and basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism: get a specialised policy for your procedure, its complications and medical evacuation, and tell your insurers everything.
You, your family or your insurer pay for further care or an evacuation. Consular staff can contact your family and give lists of English-speaking hospitals and lawyers, but cannot pay bills or recommend surgeons. Smartraveller advises taking someone with you.
🇳🇿 If you live in New Zealand
Make sure your travel insurance covers complications and medical evacuation, and talk to your health practitioner in New Zealand about the procedure and its risks before you go.
Get copies of your surgical details before you leave: problems can appear once you are home, and your practitioner in New Zealand will need them. Check with a health practitioner before flying after surgery.
🇸🇦 If you live in Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Health sends patients abroad at its expense only by royal order or by a decision of the High Medical Committee approved by the minister. Planned treatment you choose yourself, such as cosmetic surgery, is private and at your own cost.
For patients the ministry refers abroad, the Saudi health attaché in the country of treatment arranges the appointment and follows the patient; private patients are on their own. Talk to your doctor in Saudi Arabia before you go and bring your records home.
Sources
- NHS: Laser eye surgery and lens surgery nhs.uk · checked 25 Oct 2026
- FDA: LASIK, what to expect before, during and after surgery fda.gov · checked 25 Oct 2026
- FDA: LASIK, risks and how to find the right doctor fda.gov · checked 25 Oct 2026
- NHS: Cosmetic surgery abroad (general advice on surgery abroad) nhs.uk · checked 25 Oct 2026
Next review due 25 Apr 2027. Found something wrong or out of date? Tell us via the contact address.