LASIK — visual freedom from the very next day
LASIK is one of the most widely performed refractive surgeries in the world, with extensive international experience since 1990. It is a fast, painless and precise procedure: I reshape your cornea with a laser to correct your myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism. Most patients recover good vision by the next day and quickly return to their usual activities.
What does LASIK involve?
LASIK — short for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis — corrects your vision by reshaping the cornea, the thin transparent layer at the front of the eye. Everything is done by laser, with no mechanical blade.
In practice, I proceed in three steps: first, I create a thin corneal flap with a femtosecond laser (typical thickness 110-130 μm depending on the case, in a few seconds); next, I reshape the underlying tissue with an excimer laser to precisely correct your refractive error; then I lay the flap back down, where it adheres naturally without sutures. The procedure takes about fifteen minutes for both eyes and is performed under local anesthesia with simple eye drops.
100% laser Femto-LASIK. The LASIK flap is created entirely with a femtosecond laser, with no mechanical blade. This technique allows a precise, controlled and reproducible cut.
Animated demonstration below ↓
Scroll through the 4 steps of the procedure at your own pace.
LASIK step by step
Click ▶ to start the animation, or go through the 4 steps one by one at your own pace.
Interactive animation — for a larger view, open the diagram in full screen ↗
Who is LASIK for?
LASIK is suitable for the vast majority of patients who want to be free of glasses. But not always: only a comprehensive assessment — including precise mapping of your cornea — allows me to confirm your eligibility. To get a first idea of the criteria I examine, you can read my article “Am I eligible for refractive surgery?”.
- You are over 18
- Your prescription is stable
- Myopia up to −10 diopters
- Hyperopia up to +5 diopters
- Astigmatism, combined or isolated
- Sufficient corneal thickness
- Regular cornea (checked by corneal mapping, Anterion)
- No moderate or severe dry eye disease
- You have keratoconus (a deformation of the cornea) or suspected keratoconus
- Your cornea is too thin to create a flap safely
- Your prescription is still changing
- You have uncontrolled dry eye disease
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding (hormonal changes can alter refraction)
- You have an active, unstabilized autoimmune or inflammatory disease (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, scleroderma…)
- You have an ongoing eye infection or inflammation
In these situations, other techniques (PRK, ICL) are often still possible — we will discuss them together.
Advantages and points to consider
- Visual recovery usually achieved within 24 hours
- A virtually painless procedure, under simple anesthetic eye drops
- Correction of a wide range of vision problems (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism — and presbyopia with PresbyLASIK)
- Lasting refractive stability confirmed by more than 35 years of clinical experience — the first human LASIK was performed in 1990
- Both eyes treated on the same day
- Back to screen work the very next day
- Temporary dry eye is common for a few weeks to a few months
- Halos and glare at night may occur early in recovery, usually temporary
- The corneal flap remains more vulnerable to direct trauma to the eye — avoid contact sports for one month and do not rub your eyes
- The technique requires sufficient corneal thickness
- Corneal ectasia (progressive deformation of the cornea) is a rare but serious complication — I prevent it through systematic topographic screening during the pre-operative assessment, which rules out at-risk corneas
- For high hyperopia (beyond +4 to +5 D), predictability decreases and partial regression is possible — other options (phakic lens, lens surgery) may then be preferable
- Monofocal LASIK does not prevent presbyopia (around age 45) or cataract (around age 60-70) — for presbyopic patients, I offer a dedicated variant: PresbyLASIK
- In my practice, the laser enhancement rate at 12 months remains below 1-2%, consistent with data from the international literature; an enhancement may be offered to fine-tune the result if the residual refractive error warrants it
What if I have presbyopia?
Conventional LASIK corrects distance vision only: a presbyopic patient (over 45) will therefore still need reading glasses. For this situation, I offer a variant of LASIK specifically designed for presbyopia.
Multifocal LASIK for presbyopia
Technically identical to LASIK (femtosecond flap + excimer laser), PresbyLASIK applies a multifocal corneal profile — or a micro-monovision strategy — to restore distance, intermediate and near vision simultaneously. It is the reference laser solution for patients aged 45 to 60 whose natural lens is still clear.
Discover PresbyLASIK →LASIK in pictures
This short animation illustrates the three key steps of LASIK: creation of the corneal flap with a femtosecond laser, reshaping of the cornea with an excimer laser, and repositioning of the flap without sutures.
From your first assessment to visual freedom
Pre-operative assessment
At your first consultation, I carry out a comprehensive assessment: precise measurement of your prescription, corneal mapping (Anterion), corneal thickness measurement and anterior segment examination. This allows me to confirm your eligibility for LASIK and to plan the procedure precisely. A check-up with pupil-dilating drops (Skiacol) may be needed before surgery.
Preparation
If you wear contact lenses, you will need to remove them at least 48 hours beforehand, ideally 7 days (soft lenses) or at least 3 weeks beforehand (rigid lenses); a longer interval may be needed for rigid lenses worn extensively. I give you a detailed cost estimate, the informed consent form and the prescriptions for your post-operative eye drops.
The day of surgery
The procedure takes about 15 minutes for both eyes, as an outpatient, under anesthetic eye drops. I stay with you and explain every step. You go home 30 minutes later, ideally with someone accompanying you.
Post-operative follow-up
I see you again at day 1, day 7 and 1 month. You will use anti-inflammatory eye drops for one week. I remain reachable by phone between appointments. The result fully stabilizes within a few weeks.
What happens after LASIK?
Here is what the first days and weeks after the procedure look like. Every patient recovers at their own pace — these milestones are observed averages.
The day of surgery
Stinging, a foreign-body sensation and sensitivity to light are normal for a few hours. Rest your eyes: no screens, no reading. A quiet nap often helps. First instillation of the prescribed eye drops.
First check-up
I see you in consultation. Your vision is already sharp — often close to your pre-operative corrected acuity. You can resume short drives and walking outdoors (with sunglasses).
Back to screens and work
You can resume screen work, taking regular breaks. Fluctuating vision at the end of the day is possible (temporary dryness) — this is normal and temporary.
Second check-up & light exercise
You can resume brisk walking, cycling and running. Still avoid sports with a risk of a blow to the eye or of splashes. Gradual tapering of the anti-inflammatory eye drops.
Stabilization check-up
I check healing, the quality of your vision and the condition of the ocular surface. Pool swimming, contact sports and scuba diving can be resumed.
Final result
Your vision is fully stabilized. Any residual dryness has usually resolved. You can fully enjoy your visual freedom.
Comparison of techniques
Each technique has its indications and limitations. Here is a concise comparison to guide you — the final decision is made at your personalized assessment. For a closer comparison of the two most common laser techniques, read my article “LASIK or SMILE: how to choose?”.
| LASIK | SMILE | PRK | Phakic lens (ICL/IPCL) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corneal procedure | Flap + reshaping | Lenticule extraction | Surface (no flap) | None |
| Visual recovery | 24 h | 24-48 h | 5-7 days | 24-48 h |
| Myopia up to | −10 D | −10 D | −6 D | −30 D ¹ |
| Hyperopia up to | +5 D | +5 D | +4 D | +15 D ¹ |
| Astigmatism | Yes | Yes | Possible | Yes |
| Thin cornea | Contraindicated | Contraindicated | Possible | Ideal |
| Contact sports | After 4 weeks | After 2 weeks | After 2 weeks | After 3-4 weeks |
| Reversible | No | No | No | Yes |
| Anesthesia | Eye drops | Eye drops | Eye drops | General or local |
¹ Corrections beyond −18 D (myopia) or +10 D (hyperopia) require the IPCL (Care Group). The EVO Visian ICL (STAAR) covers myopia up to −18 D and hyperopia up to +10 D.
LASIK fees
LASIK: €3,000 for both eyes — this package includes the procedure, post-operative check-ups and any enhancement within the first year. For your information: these are freely set fees, not reimbursed by the French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie); some complementary health insurance plans (mutuelles) contribute depending on your policy. A detailed cost estimate is always provided before any decision, and payment in installments may be offered — ask about it during your consultation.
LASIK FAQ
Your LASIK assessment starts here
A comprehensive assessment allows me to check your eligibility, choose the best technique with you (LASIK, PresbyLASIK, SMILE, PRK or ICL) and answer all your questions.
Explore the alternatives
If LASIK is not right for you — or if you have presbyopia — other techniques may be perfectly suitable.