How The LASIK Index Builds and Ranks Its Records
The LASIK Index is a directory of LASIK and refractive surgery practices in the United States, built from public records and each practice's own published information. Every record carries the date it was last verified. This page explains where the data comes from, what each label means and how practices are ranked.
Where do the records come from?
We identify every business offering LASIK in a metro area from Google Maps, then group offices that belong to the same practice. A practice with seven offices is one record with seven locations. Doctors with their own Google profiles are attached to the practice they work for.
For each practice we record the procedures it performs, its per-eye prices, the laser and diagnostic platforms it uses, its financing options and its doctors, from the practice's own published information. A practice is listed only when it performs LASIK or another refractive procedure. Optometry offices that refer patients elsewhere for surgery are left out.
What do the labels mean?
- Verified, with a date. We checked the practice's published information on that date. Prices and services change, so the date matters.
- Not listed. The practice does not publish that procedure or detail. It may still offer it.
- NPI-verified surgeon. The doctor matches exactly one active record in the federal NPPES registry, in the same state, with an ophthalmology specialty. It confirms identity and specialty. Licence status sits with the state medical board.
- Claimed. The practice has proved it controls its email domain and confirmed its record. Claiming does not change the score.
- Sponsored. A paid placement. It sits in its own labelled slot outside the ranked list and has no effect on rank or score.
How is the Index score calculated?
The Index score runs from 0 to 10. Half reflects public reputation and half reflects how much a practice tells you before you walk in.
| Component | Max points | How it is awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Google reputation, weighted by review count | 5.0 | A Bayesian average pulls practices with few reviews toward 4.5 stars, so 12 five-star reviews do not outrank 2,000 reviews at 4.8. |
| Publishes its own per-eye LASIK price | 1.5 | The price must be the practice's own, not a national average. We keep the wording it was published with. |
| Names its surgeons | 0.75 | At least one operating doctor is named. |
| NPI-verified surgeon | 0.75 | At least one named doctor matches exactly one active ophthalmology record in the same state. |
| Procedures beyond LASIK | 1.0 | 0.25 each for PRK, SMILE, EVO ICL and refractive lens exchange. |
| Names its laser or diagnostic platforms | 0.5 | Any named platform counts. We do not rank one device above another. |
| Hours and contact details on public record | 0.5 | Opening hours are present on the public business record. |
The score does not measure surgical skill, complication rates or results. No public dataset reports those for individual LASIK surgeons. A high score means a practice is well reviewed and open about itself.
What does The LASIK Index not check?
We do not check state medical licences, board certification, malpractice history or disciplinary records. Your state medical board publishes licence status and public actions for free, and it is worth looking up the surgeon who will treat you. Ratings and reviews shown here are Google's.
How often are records updated?
Records are re-verified on a rolling schedule and whenever a practice or reader reports a change. Each record shows its last verification date.