How Much Does LASIK Cost in 2026? What Practices Actually Publish

The typical published LASIK price per eye in 2026 is $2,495, which is the median starting price among practices in The LASIK Index that publish a price. The range of published starting prices spans from $1,000 to $5,900 per eye. These figures reflect the lowest end of each practice's posted range, not promotional entry offers.

Practices may list a range, and the highest top-of-range price reaches $8,400 per eye. The published price often covers only the basic procedure and may not include enhancements, follow-up care, or upgraded technology. Patients should ask exactly what is included in any quoted price.

LASIK prices show significant variation by city. In Syracuse, NY, the median starting price for practices with published data is $1,400 per eye, the lowest among cities with three or more practices publishing a price. By contrast, San Diego, CA has the highest median starting price at $2,900 per eye.

Among the 29 cities with at least three practices publishing a price, the median starting price in most cities falls between $1,900 and $2,900 per eye. Local market factors and competition may influence these differences, but the data does not explain the reasons for city-level variation.

Only 172 of 839 LASIK practices in The LASIK Index, or 20.5%, publish a per-eye price as of September 2026. The majority, 594 practices, publish no price information at all. Another 73 practices advertise only a discount or entry price, not a full per-eye price.

This low rate of price transparency means most patients will need to contact practices directly for a quote. The published prices reflect only the subset of providers willing to disclose their fees publicly.

Entry offers under $1,000 per eye are excluded from the published price data because they are typically advertised as discounts or special deals, not as standard prices. The LASIK Index counts these as advertising, not as a practice’s actual price.

The FTC found that in 2023, only 6.5 percent of consumers qualified for advertised LASIK prices as low as $250 or $295 per eye. Most patients were quoted between $1,800 and $2,295 per eye. These findings support excluding low entry offers from price comparisons.

Patients should ask what is included in a LASIK quote, since published prices may cover only the basic procedure. Important details include whether the price covers pre-operative exams, post-operative visits, enhancement procedures, upgraded technology, or a lifetime plan.

Financing options, free consultations, and payment through HSA or FSA accounts are also offered by some practices. The FDA says most medical insurance will not pay for LASIK, so patients should confirm all out-of-pocket costs.

• Pre-operative evaluation and testing
• Post-operative visits and follow-up care
• Enhancement procedures if needed
• Type of technology or laser platform used
• Lifetime or extended enhancement plans