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Vision correction · 2026

LASIK & SMILE in China,
at one-third the US cost.

Both eyes from $1,400. Zeiss VisuMax SMILE from $1,800. Same equipment used by leading Western refractive centres — at Tongren, Aier and Zhongshan Ophthalmic, with bilingual coordination and 12-month remote follow-up.

Get a candidacy assessment Top eye hospitals

1M+

SMILE procedures

At Aier Eye Hospital Group since 2013

Aier annual report

$1,400–2,800

LASIK / SMILE both eyes

All-in international pricing

Partner clinic quotes 2024

Zeiss

VisuMax + WaveLight

Same platforms used at Western refractive centres

Manufacturer data

20/25

Typical day-1 vision

After SMILE / femto-LASIK at top centres

Centre-published data

Class A

Top eye hospitals

Tongren, Zhongshan Ophthalmic, EENT Fudan

NHC ratings

7–10

Days typical stay

Includes day-1, day-3 and day-7 follow-up

Industry guidance

Procedures

Six procedures, all-in pricing.

Standard

Femtosecond LASIK

Bladeless flap (Alcon FS200 or Ziemer LDV) + WaveLight or Schwind excimer ablation. Same-day discharge.

$1,400–2,200

Flap-free

SMILE / SMILE Pro

Zeiss VisuMax — small incision lenticule extraction. Lower dry eye rate. Best for myopia -1 to -10 D.

$1,800–2,800

Custom

Topography-guided LASIK

Contoura Vision or Custom-Q on WaveLight EX500. Best for irregular corneas and high astigmatism.

$1,800–2,800

Surface

Trans-PRK

Schwind Amaris SmartPulse — single-step trans-epithelial PRK. Best for thin corneas or athletes.

$1,200–1,800

Specialist

EVO Visian ICL

STAAR Surgical implantable collamer lens — for high myopia / thin corneas. Reversible, both eyes.

$6,400–10,000

Presbyopia

Refractive lens exchange

Multifocal or EDOF IOLs (Alcon PanOptix, J&J Synergy, Zeiss AT LISA tri) for patients > 50.

$5,500–9,500

Top eye hospitals

Six refractive centres
open to international patients.

Beijing

Beijing Tongren Hospital 北京同仁医院

China's leading eye hospital · Class A · all refractive procedures · international wing

Multi-city

Aier Eye Hospital Group 爱尔眼科

World's largest private eye hospital chain · 1M+ SMILE cases · English clinics

Guangzhou

Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, SYSU 中山眼科中心

Class A national reference centre · highest publication output in Chinese ophthalmology

Shanghai

EENT Hospital, Fudan University 复旦眼耳鼻喉科医院

Class A teaching hospital · strong refractive and corneal surgery program

Shanghai

Aier Eye Hospital, Shanghai 上海爱尔眼科

International-patient flagship · same-day SMILE Pro · English-speaking team

Shenzhen

Shenzhen Eye Hospital 深圳市眼科医院

Class A · regional reference centre · high SMILE and ICL volume

Cost comparison

China vs US vs UK,
real refractive pricing.

China
United States
United Kingdom
Femtosecond LASIK (both eyes)
$1,400–$2,200
$4,400–$6,000
£3,800–£5,200
SMILE / SMILE Pro (both eyes)
$1,800–$2,800
$4,800–$6,500
£4,200–£5,800
Topography-guided LASIK
$1,800–$2,800
$5,000–$7,000
£4,500–£6,200
EVO Visian ICL (both eyes)
$6,400–$10,000
$10,000–$16,000
£7,500–£11,000
Refractive lens exchange (per eye)
$2,750–$4,750
$4,500–$7,500
£3,500–£5,500

Sources: AAO Refractive Survey 2024, Optical Express / Optegra UK 2024, partner-clinic itemized quotes 2024–2025. Pricing is indicative and excludes airfare, accommodation and optional enhancements. Educational only — not medical advice.

FAQ

LASIK in China — answered.

Is laser eye surgery in China safe for international patients?
Top Chinese refractive surgery centres operate on the same equipment used worldwide: Zeiss VisuMax (for SMILE), Alcon WaveLight EX500 / Plus, Schwind Amaris, and Johnson & Johnson iDesign / iLASIK. China is one of the world's largest markets for SMILE — Aier Eye Hospital Group alone has performed over 1 million SMILE procedures since 2013. Top centres are Class A teaching hospital ophthalmology departments or large specialty groups with published outcome data and patient volumes that exceed most Western centres.
What does LASIK / SMILE cost in China?
Indicative all-in international-patient pricing per both eyes: standard femtosecond LASIK $1,400–$2,200; topography-guided LASIK (Contoura, Custom-Q) $1,800–$2,800; SMILE / SMILE Pro (Zeiss VisuMax) $1,800–$2,800; trans-PRK $1,200–$1,800; ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens, EVO Visian) $3,200–$5,000 per eye; toric ICL for astigmatism $3,800–$5,500 per eye. Quotes include preoperative workup, surgery, medications, and three follow-up visits.
Which Chinese hospitals do laser vision correction for foreigners?
(1) Beijing Tongren Hospital 北京同仁医院 — China's leading eye hospital, Class A, large international wing; (2) Aier Eye Hospital Group 爱尔眼科 — largest private eye hospital chain in the world, multi-city, English-speaking international clinics in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu; (3) Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University 中山眼科中心 — Class A national reference centre in Guangzhou; (4) EENT Hospital, Fudan University 复旦眼耳鼻喉科医院 (Shanghai); (5) Chongqing Eye Hospital. Most accept walk-in international patients with bilingual coordination.
Am I a candidate for LASIK or SMILE?
General criteria: age 18+ (most centres prefer 21+); stable refraction for ≥ 12 months; cornea thickness > 480 µm (LASIK) or > 460 µm (SMILE); no active corneal disease, severe dry eye, keratoconus, or autoimmune disease; not pregnant or breastfeeding. Refraction range: LASIK -10.0 to +6.0 D, astigmatism up to -6.0 D; SMILE -1.0 to -10.0 D, astigmatism up to -5.0 D; ICL covers higher myopia up to -18.0 D. A full topography-based assessment (Pentacam, Orbscan, OCT) is required and forms the basis of the procedure recommendation.
How long do I need to stay in China?
Plan 7–10 days: pre-operative workup and dry-eye treatment 2–3 days; surgery day; same-day discharge with eye shield; follow-up at day 1, day 3 and day 7. SMILE and femtosecond LASIK patients typically achieve 20/25 or better by day 1; trans-PRK takes 5–7 days for visual recovery. Long-haul flights are usually cleared at day 5–7. ICL patients need an additional pre-op laser iridotomy in some cases — add 1–2 weeks.
What technology platforms are used?
Top centres use the same equipment as Western refractive centres: SMILE — Zeiss VisuMax 800 / VisuMax 500; LASIK — Alcon WaveLight EX500 + FS200 / Refractive Suite Plus, Schwind Amaris 1050RS, Johnson & Johnson iDesign Refractive Studio; trans-PRK — Schwind Amaris with SmartPulse; ICL — STAAR Surgical EVO Visian (the same lens implanted worldwide). Confirm the specific platform for your procedure in the written quote — older excimer platforms (e.g. Allegretto Eye-Q without 1050 Hz tracking) should be avoided.
What about night vision, dry eye and long-term outcomes?
Documented risks (consistent with global LASIK / SMILE literature): transient dry eye 20–40% at 3 months, < 5% at 12 months; halos / glare 10–20% at 1 month, < 5% at 6 months; need for enhancement 2–5% at 1 year. SMILE has lower dry eye and corneal denervation rates than LASIK. Long-term ectasia risk is < 0.04% with proper screening (Pentacam tomography, Belin-Ambrósio Display). All international quotes from our partners include ≥ 12 months of remote follow-up and one in-person enhancement visit if needed within 24 months.
What if I have a complication after returning home?
Most post-op issues — dry eye, residual refraction, mild halos — are managed with eye drops and resolve over 3–6 months. Your home ophthalmologist or optometrist can manage routine follow-up with the bilingual operative report and topography we provide. For enhancement or complications requiring re-treatment, partners offer a one-time enhancement at no charge within 24 months (subject to corneal thickness). For uncommon complications (epithelial ingrowth, persistent dry eye, refractive surprise), we coordinate remote consultation with the operating surgeon and a recommended local sub-specialist.

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Coverage for travel and rare elective-surgery complications.

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All Treatment Costs

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Medical Companion

Bilingual companions for clinic visits and post-op appointments.

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Cost Calculator

Estimate all-in cost including travel, accommodation and meds.

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Candidacy assessment
+ quote in 5 days.

Share your refraction, recent topography (Pentacam / Orbscan) if available, and travel window. We return two written candidacy assessments — including procedure recommendation, equipment platform, and indicative all-in cost.

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This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Refractive surgery candidacy depends on individual examination. All clinical decisions are made by the treating ophthalmologist at the partner hospital.