Vision Correction Procedures Compared
The LASIK Index tracks five vision correction procedures across 839 practices as of September 2026. 810 perform LASIK, 658 PRK, 482 EVO ICL, 390 refractive lens exchange and 88 SMILE.
What is the difference between LASIK, PRK, SMILE, EVO ICL and lens exchange?
| Procedure | What the surgeon does | Where it works | Practices performing it |
|---|---|---|---|
| LASIK | A corneal flap is created and the tissue beneath it is reshaped with an excimer laser. | On the cornea (laser) | 810 of 839 |
| PRK | Surface laser treatment with no flap. The outer cell layer is removed and the cornea is reshaped with an excimer laser. | On the cornea (laser) | 658 of 839 |
| SMILE | A femtosecond laser cuts a small lens-shaped piece of corneal tissue, which the surgeon removes through a short incision. | On the cornea (laser) | 88 of 839 |
| EVO ICL | An implantable collamer lens is placed inside the eye, behind the iris and in front of the natural lens. | Inside the eye (lens) | 482 of 839 |
| Refractive lens exchange | The natural lens is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens, using the same technique as cataract surgery. | Inside the eye (lens) | 390 of 839 |