How This Actually Works, Step by Step

The path from “am I a good candidate for LASIK” to sitting in a surgical suite is more involved than most people expect. Here is the actual sequence we walk patients through.

First, you need a comprehensive corneal evaluation. Not a basic eye exam. A full workup that includes corneal topography, pachymetry to measure corneal thickness, a dilated fundus exam, and a tear film assessment. If you already have recent results from your home country, you can send them to a Chinese ophthalmology department for a preliminary written review. This is not a surgical clearance. It is a screening opinion that tells you whether it is worth traveling for the in-person evaluation.

Second, the in-person assessment. Chinese hospitals, including the top eye centers in Shanghai and Beijing, require a face-to-face consultation before any refractive procedure. No reputable institution will schedule surgery based on remote records alone. You will undergo a repeat topography and a cycloplegic refraction. The doctor measures your pupil size in dim light. They check for dry eye, which is the most common disqualifier we see.

Third, the surgical plan. If you pass the screening, the surgeon selects the technique—standard LASIK, femto-LASIK, SMILE, or PRK—based on your corneal thickness and prescription. You receive a written cost breakdown. You sign a consent form that includes specific risk disclosures.

Fourth, the procedure itself. LASIK takes about 15 minutes per eye. You are awake. The laser does the reshaping. A flap is created and repositioned. You go home the same day with antibiotic and steroid drops.

Fifth, follow-up. You need examinations at day 1, week 1, month 1, and month 3. If you travel back home after surgery, you must arrange follow-up with a local ophthalmologist. Chinese clinics provide discharge summaries in English for this purpose.

LASIK Eligibility Criteria Abroad: The Medical Gatekeepers

How do I know if I can get LASIK? The short answer is that a corneal specialist has to tell you. But the screening criteria are well established, and you can assess your own likelihood before spending money on travel.

Let’s break down the major eligibility factors.

Age. You should be at least 18. Most surgeons prefer 21 or older. There is no upper age limit for LASIK itself, but after 40, presbyopia changes the risk-benefit calculation. You may still qualify, but you might trade distance vision for reading vision. That is a conversation to have honestly.

Stable prescription. Your glasses or contact lens prescription must be stable for at least 12 months. Some clinics in China require 24 months for higher myopia. If your prescription shifted in the last year, you will be turned away. That is not negotiable.

Corneal thickness. This is the hard limit. LASIK removes tissue from the cornea. You need enough left over—typically at least 250 to 300 microns of residual stromal bed—to maintain structural integrity. If your cornea is under 500 microns thick, LASIK may be unsafe, though SMILE or PRK might still be options.

Pupil size. Large pupils, especially in low light, increase the risk of night vision problems like halos and glare. A pupil diameter over 8 millimeters in dim conditions warrants a careful discussion about whether the optical zone can be made large enough.

Eye health. Active infection, severe dry eye, keratoconus, glaucoma, significant cataracts, or uncontrolled diabetes all disqualify you, at least temporarily. Keratoconus is an absolute contraindication for LASIK. Dry eye is the most common treatable disqualifier—many patients are told to manage it for several months and return for re-evaluation.

Pregnancy and nursing. Hormonal changes alter corneal shape and refraction. Most Chinese refractive surgeons require you to wait at least three to six months after you stop breastfeeding before undergoing a full evaluation.

A Realistic Timeline

This is where international patients get surprised. The surgery itself is quick. The logistics are not. Here is a realistic sequence if you are coming from abroad.

Notice the waiting steps people forget. The visa is often the longest lead time. And the week-1 follow-up in China is not optional—surgeons want to see the flap before you fly. Budget at least 10 to 14 days in China, not a weekend trip.

What Can Go Wrong — and What Happens Then

LASIK has a high satisfaction rate. The complication rate is low. But it is not zero, and you deserve the honest version.

Dry eye. The most common side effect. Nearly everyone has some dryness for the first few months. For a minority, it persists beyond a year. Treatment includes preservative-free artificial tears, punctal plugs, and sometimes cyclosporine drops. Chinese eye hospitals manage this routinely.

Undercorrection or overcorrection. The laser may remove slightly too little or too much tissue. If this happens, you may still need glasses for certain tasks. An enhancement procedure is sometimes possible after three to six months, but it is not guaranteed—especially if your cornea is already thin.

Night vision issues. Halos, glare, and starbursts around lights. These usually fade over three to six months. But for a small percentage of patients, they persist. If you drive at night for a living, this matters.

Flap complications. Rare with modern femtosecond lasers, but still possible. A dislodged flap in the first week requires immediate repositioning. This is exactly why flying home the day after surgery is a bad idea.

Ectasia. The serious one. If the cornea is weakened too much, it can bulge forward over time, causing progressive vision loss. This is why corneal thickness screening is non-negotiable. Ectasia is rare—estimates run around 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 5,000 cases—but it is the reason no ethical surgeon will cut corners on pachymetry.

What happens if something goes wrong after you return home? You need a local ophthalmologist who can manage the aftermath. Chinese clinics provide full surgical records in English. Your home doctor takes over. That is the standard arrangement, and it works for the vast majority of patients.

Best LASIK Hospital Shanghai Price: What the Numbers Actually Mean

Shanghai has some of the strongest eye hospitals in China. The Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University is among the highest-volume refractive surgery centers in the country. Private international hospitals like Jiahui and United Family also offer LASIK with English-speaking staff and direct insurance billing for some international plans.

So what does the LASIK eye surgery cost in China actually look like? Prices vary by hospital tier, technique, and surgeon seniority. Here is the realistic range.

These are self-pay prices at top-tier public hospitals and mid-range private clinics. The exact figure varies by hospital and case complexity. A patient with high myopia or astigmatism may pay more. A patient with a simple prescription may pay less.

Does the savings justify the trip? For a $4,000 procedure that costs $2,500 in Shanghai, the flight and accommodation eat into the difference. But for patients already traveling to China for business or family reasons, or for those from countries where LASIK costs exceed $6,000, the math works. Some patients also choose China because they can access newer SMILE technology at a lower price point than in their home market.

If you want to research hospital options before committing, our database of top-ranked Chinese hospitals includes eye centers across 37 cities, with Fudan ranking data where available. For Shanghai specifically, the city page offers a closer look at the major institutions.

Practical Considerations: Records, Visa, Payment, and Follow-Up

Before you book anything, sort out the practical details. These are the ones that derail plans.

Medical records. Bring your last two years of eye prescriptions, any corneal topography you have, and a list of medications. If you wear contact lenses, stop wearing soft lenses at least one week before your evaluation and rigid lenses at least three to four weeks before. Lenses reshape the cornea. If you show up without a proper washout period, your measurements will be wrong and you will be sent away.

Visa. For medical treatment in China, the applicable short-stay category is the S2 visa, which covers private affairs including medical treatment. You will need an invitation letter from the hospital or a supporting document confirming your appointment. Visa processing times vary by consulate, so start early. We do not guarantee approval, and requirements change, so check with the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country.

Payment. Chinese public hospitals typically require prepayment for surgical packages. International credit cards are accepted at private international hospitals but not always at public ones. Bring a card that works in China or arrange a bank transfer. Insurance rarely covers elective refractive surgery, so expect to pay out of pocket. Private international hospitals may offer direct billing if your plan includes vision benefits, but this is uncommon.

Language. Top public eye hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing have international departments with English-speaking coordinators. But the main outpatient floors are Chinese-speaking environments. If you go through the standard public route without support, you will struggle. This is not a criticism—it is the reality of a system that sees tens of thousands of patients daily.

Follow-up at home. Before you leave China, get a written discharge summary in English, your post-op medication list, and your surgical records. Arrange a local ophthalmologist for the month-1 and month-3 checks. Chinese surgeons are generally willing to communicate with your home doctor if questions arise.

Frequently Asked Questions