Eye Surgery Tours · Shanghai 上海
Shanghai
Full Eye Check-up & Old Streets
A short trip for a comprehensive eye examination (eye pressure, retina imaging and a specialist review) at the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, with Wukang Road, the Bund and Yu Garden around it.
Trip length
4 days / 3 nights
Eye program
Comprehensive eye check-up
Best time to go
March–May and October–November
Best for
Eye health checks; diabetes or glaucoma risk
Overview
A thorough check of your eyes, then the plane-tree streets of old Shanghai.
Glaucoma and retinal disease often cause no symptoms until vision is lost, so a full check is worthwhile if you have diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, high short-sightedness, or haven't had a dilated examination for years.
The examination takes most of a morning, and dilating drops leave your vision blurry for a few hours, so the rest of that day is kept free. If anything needs treatment, you leave with a written plan.
This route suits
- Adults with diabetes, high short-sightedness or a family history of glaucoma
- Anyone considering laser surgery who wants an assessment first
- Business travellers with a spare day or two in Shanghai
- People combining with a Shanghai health checkup
Eye program · Comprehensive eye check-up
What the eye care covers
Pre-operative examination
Decides whether surgery is right for you, and which kind.
- Prescription check and dilated eye examination
- Corneal mapping (topography) and corneal thickness
- Dry-eye and eye-pressure assessment
- Consultation with the surgeon, with English interpreting
- Written plan and price; you can still say no
Comprehensive eye check-up
A full look at the health of your eyes, not just your prescription.
- Vision and prescription test
- Eye-pressure test (glaucoma screening)
- Dilated retina examination and retinal imaging (OCT)
- Specialist referral and a written plan if anything needs treatment
Records & handover
So your optician or eye doctor at home can take over.
- Written summary in English of the examination and any surgery
- Scans and measurements to take home
- Lens type recorded, for cataract and ICL surgery
- Follow-up video call with your coordinator
Whether surgery suits you, and which kind, is decided by the surgeon at the examination, not before. More on each procedure: LASIK & eye surgery guide
Not sure you're a candidate?
Send your prescription and any recent eye reports. We'll tell you whether surgery is likely to be an option on your Shanghai trip — free, with no obligation.
Treatment timeline
How the treatment fits the trip
| Visit | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| This trip | This itinerary | A full examination and imaging, with results the same or next day. |
| If treatment is needed | Later | You get a written plan. Surgery can be booked on a later trip or arranged at home. |
Built around healing
How this trip protects your eyes
- Examination on the morning of day 2, after a night's rest
- No sightseeing until the dilating drops wear off
- Results reviewed on day 3
Examination day
What happens at the clinic
| 09:00 | Meet your coordinator at the hotel and travel to the hospital. Bring your passport and current glasses. |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Registration and medical history, with an interpreter. |
| 10:00 | Eye tests: prescription, corneal mapping and thickness, eye pressure, dry-eye tests. |
| 11:30 | Eye drops to dilate your pupils, then a retina examination. Your vision stays blurry for a few hours. |
| Afternoon | Consultation with the surgeon: whether surgery suits you, which method, and the price, in writing. |
Itinerary · 4 days / 3 nights
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive
- Pick-up and hotel check-in
- Evening walk on Wukang Road
Overnight: Former French Concession
- Day 2
Eye examination
- Morning: comprehensive eye examination with dilated retina check and imaging
- Afternoon rest while the drops wear off; evening on the Bund
Overnight: Former French Concession
- Day 3
Results & Yu Garden
- Results and written report with the specialist
- Afternoon: Yu Garden or Tianzifang
Overnight: Former French Concession
- Day 4
Depart
- Records handed over; transfer to Pudong or Hongqiao
Make this itinerary yours
Change the dates, add rest days, upgrade hotels or combine it with another route. Your coordinator sends a revised plan and itemised quote.
Travel
What you’ll see
Wukang Road
A plane-tree-lined street in the former French Concession, with the wedge-shaped Wukang Mansion and old villas.
Tip: Good for a slow walk and a coffee.
The Bund
Shanghai's riverside promenade of historic banks and hotels facing the Pudong skyline.
Tip: Dusk is the best time, once your eyes are back to normal.
Yu Garden
A Ming-dynasty classical garden of rockeries, ponds and pavilions in the old town.
Tip: Arrive at opening time for a calmer visit.
Tianzifang
A maze of old shikumen lane houses turned into small shops, studios and cafés.
Tip: Weekday mornings are quietest.
Hospitals
Where the eye care happens
Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University 复旦大学附属眼耳鼻喉科医院
Public eye and ENT specialist hospital · Fudan University
Fudan University's specialist hospital for eye and ear, nose and throat conditions.
We use it for
- Comprehensive eye check-ups
- Pre-surgery assessment
The hospital and surgeon are confirmed after reviewing your prescription, dates and availability. An English-speaking coordinator accompanies you to every appointment.
Worried about the recovery?
Tell us what you're having done and when you fly home. We'll plan the trip so check-ups come first and the sightseeing is gentle.
Aftercare
Travelling after eye surgery
Rubbing
Don't rub your eyes. After LASIK, rubbing can dislodge the corneal flap. Wear the protective shields at night for as long as you're told.
Swimming & hot tubs
No swimming, hot tubs or saunas. The FDA advises avoiding them for 1–2 months after LASIK, and NHS cataract leaflets say no swimming for about four weeks. Your surgeon gives you the exact timing.
Make-up
No eye make-up or creams around the eyes for up to two weeks after LASIK, and around four weeks after cataract surgery.
Flying & sightseeing
Flying doesn't harm healing after LASIK or cataract surgery, and gentle sightseeing is fine. Wear sunglasses outdoors, avoid dusty places, and bring enough eye drops for the whole course.
General guidance from FDA, AAO and NHS patient information. Your surgeon's instructions for your own eyes come first.
Practical tips
Before you go
- Don't drive or cycle on the examination day: dilated pupils blur vision and make you sensitive to light.
- Shanghai pairs well with the Wenzhou eye route or the Hangzhou dental and TCM routes.
- Stop wearing soft contact lenses for the period your clinic advises before the examination (often one to two weeks; longer for rigid lenses), so your corneas return to their natural shape.
- Bring your current glasses, your latest prescription and a list of medicines.
- Don't wear eye make-up on the examination or surgery days.
- Plan the surgery for early in the trip, so there's time for the check-ups before you fly.
FAQ
Shanghai eye surgery tour — answered.
- Why are my pupils dilated?
- Dilating drops widen the pupil so the doctor can see the whole retina and optic nerve. Your vision is blurry and bright light is uncomfortable for a few hours, so bring sunglasses.
- Can I have laser surgery on this trip?
- This route is an examination only. If you're suitable and want surgery, it can be booked on a longer route such as Guangzhou or Wenzhou.
- How do I know if I'm suitable for laser eye surgery?
- Only the pre-operative examination can tell you. Common reasons people aren't suitable include being under 18, pregnancy or breastfeeding, a prescription that changed in the past year, thin corneas, keratoconus, significant dry eye, and some autoimmune conditions or diabetes. If laser surgery isn't right, an ICL lens may be an option, or the surgeon may advise against surgery.
- Is SMILE better than LASIK?
- For short-sightedness, reviews of the trials find SMILE and femto-LASIK give similar sharpness and accuracy, and SMILE tends to cause less dry eye. The best choice depends on your cornea and prescription, so the surgeon recommends one after the examination.
- When can I fly after eye surgery?
- The American Academy of Ophthalmology says flying has no effect on healing after LASIK, and NHS guidance says it's fine to travel, including flying, after cataract surgery. In practice every route includes a check-up before you fly, and the surgeon confirms you're fit to travel.
- How much does an eye surgery tour cost?
- It depends on the procedure, which is only confirmed after the examination, plus the route and hotels. Send us your prescription and dates, and we'll reply with an itemised quote.
- Can I travel alone?
- Yes, but your vision will be blurry for a few hours after surgery, so your coordinator takes you back to the hotel. Many people bring a companion for the surgery day.
Related guides
Other routes
Guangzhou · Laser Eye Surgery & the Pearl River
6 days / 5 nights · Short-sightedness; travellers via Hong Kong or South-East Asia
View routeBeijing · Cataract Surgery & Temples
7 days / 6 nights · Cataracts; travellers over 60
View routeWenzhou · Refractive Surgery & Yandang Mountain
6 days / 5 nights · Short-sightedness; travellers who like quieter places
View routeShanghai, care included.
Get your itemised quote.
Share your dates, who’s travelling and your prescription. We’ll confirm the hospital, program and hotels, and pace the trip around your check-ups.