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LASIK cost in China: the number, itemized
Standard rates researched July 2026 · Updated August 2026
Femto-LASIK in China costs $1,200–1,800 USD for both eyes at standard partner-hospital rates (researched July 2026). The same procedure runs $4,000–6,000 in the United States and €3,500–5,000 in Western Europe — a saving of roughly 60–70%. The Chinese figure includes the full diagnostic workup, the surgeon, the laser platform, medication, and scheduled follow-up visits.
The full price table
LASIK rarely travels alone as a question — most people pricing it are also weighing SMILE, TransPRK, or (for high prescriptions) EVO ICL. Here are all four at the same dated standard rates, both eyes, against median private-pay quotes abroad:
| Procedure | China | United States | Western Europe | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Femto-LASIK 半飞秒 | $1,200–1,800 | $4,000–6,000 | €3,500–5,000 | ↓ ~70% |
| SMILE 全飞秒 | $2,200–2,900 | $6,000–9,000 | €4,500–6,500 | ↓ ~66% |
| TransPRK 全激光 | $1,000–1,500 | $3,500–5,000 | €2,500–3,500 | ↓ ~71% |
| EVO ICL 晶体植入 | $3,800–4,800 | $8,000–10,000 | €6,000–8,000 | ↓ ~52% |
Standard partner-hospital rates for international patients, researched July 2026, vs median private-pay quotes. Not sure which procedure applies to you? Start with the four-way comparison.
Per eye or both eyes? Read the fine print
Every figure above is for both eyes. This matters because much of the US market advertises per-eye pricing — a "$2,200 LASIK" banner usually means $4,400 for you. Per-eye equivalents of the Chinese standard rates: Femto-LASIK $600–900, SMILE $1,100–1,450, TransPRK $500–750, EVO ICL $1,900–2,400. When you compare quotes, put both on the same basis first.
What the standard rate includes
- Full diagnostic workup — corneal topography and thickness mapping, dilated refraction, dry-eye assessment, endothelial cell count where relevant. This is the step that decides whether LASIK is even your procedure.
- Surgeon and theatre — the operation itself, both eyes, on WaveLight EX500-class excimer platforms with femtosecond flap creation.
- Medication — the post-operative drop regimen (antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, lubricant) you take home.
- Scheduled follow-ups — the day-one check before you are cleared to fly, plus the visits in the standard schedule while you are in China. That check is the gate the whole 3-day itinerary hinges on; the recovery timeline sets out what happens either side of it, hour by hour.
- English documentation — operative record and acuity results your home optometrist can follow; aviation-format files (FAA, EASA, CASA, CAAC) on request.
What it does not include
Three things sit outside the hospital's standard rate: flights, hotel, and the LIC coordination fee. If you prefer one number for the whole trip, the bundled packages price the ground portion together — the 3-day LASIK Sprint (Beijing or Shanghai) starts from $2,190 including coordination, hotel, and transfers. Even with a $700–1,000 long-haul return flight on top, the all-in trip total typically lands below the low end of a US surgical quote alone. Beyond the trip itself, every refractive quote anywhere has three post-surgical edges — enhancements, routine follow-up at home, late-complication care — and the fine-print and aftercare guide walks them honestly.
Why the number is low — and what it is not
The discount is structural, not clinical. Chinese refractive centers run the same hardware Western clinics put in their advertising — WaveLight excimers, ZEISS VisuMax for SMILE, STAAR EVO for ICL — but at case volumes most Western practices never see. High throughput spreads the multi-million-dollar platform cost across thousands of procedures a year instead of hundreds; facility and staffing costs are lower; and standard rates are published rather than quoted patient by patient. What the low price does not mean: older lasers, skipped diagnostics, or outcome promises. Candidacy is always determined by the operating surgeon after your full workup.
When the price can change
One scenario, and it is a feature: the diagnostic workup finds you are better matched to a different procedure. Roughly one in five inquiries ends up with a different procedure than they first asked about — thin corneas move a LASIK inquiry to TransPRK or EVO ICL, very high myopia moves it to ICL. Your written quote is confirmed after the diagnostic consultation and before you book travel, so the number you fly on is the number you pay.
Where this fits in the wider family
This guide covers refractive pricing only. For cataract, glaucoma, retina, or the broader landscape of eye surgery for international patients in China, see our sister site China Eye Surgery.
Questions people actually ask
How much does LASIK cost in China in 2026?
At standard partner-hospital rates researched in July 2026, Femto-LASIK costs $1,200–1,800 USD for both eyes at major Chinese refractive centers. Comparable US private-pay quotes run $4,000–6,000 and Western European quotes €3,500–5,000, so the typical saving is 60–70%. The Chinese figure includes the diagnostic workup, surgeon, laser platform, medication, and scheduled follow-up visits.
Why is LASIK so much cheaper in China?
Volume and cost structure, not different equipment. Chinese refractive centers run the same WaveLight EX500-class and ZEISS VisuMax platforms Western clinics advertise, but at surgical volumes most Western practices never reach, which spreads fixed platform costs across far more cases. Lower facility and staffing costs do the rest. The written quote is confirmed after diagnostics, before you book travel.
Is the price quoted per eye or for both eyes?
All standard rates on this site are for both eyes. Per-eye equivalents: Femto-LASIK $600–900, SMILE $1,100–1,450, TransPRK $500–750, EVO ICL $1,900–2,400. When comparing with US quotes, check the basis — many US clinics advertise per-eye prices, which can make the gap look smaller than it is.
What is not included in the standard rate?
Flights, hotel, and the LIC coordination fee are separate from the hospital's standard rate. Packages that bundle coordination, hotel, and transfers start from $2,190 for a 3-day LASIK trip. If the diagnostic workup finds you are better matched to a different procedure, the price changes to that procedure's rate before anything is scheduled.
Can the final price change after I arrive?
The written quote is confirmed after your diagnostic consultation and before you book travel. The one thing that changes pricing is the diagnostic result itself: roughly one in five inquiries is matched to a different procedure than they asked about — for example thin corneas moving a LASIK inquiry to TransPRK or EVO ICL — and candidacy is always determined by the operating surgeon.
Can I have LASIK on just one eye in China, and what does it cost?
Yes — single-eye treatment is more routine than people expect. A large prescription difference between the eyes, deliberate monovision where one eye is left for reading, or an enhancement on one eye years after an original surgery are all normal reasons, and no surgeon will find the request strange. On price, expect the quote to sit at or somewhat above the arithmetic half of the both-eyes rate — the per-eye equivalent of the standard Femto-LASIK rate is $600–900 (researched July 2026) — because the diagnostic workup, the theatre slot and the follow-up schedule cost the same whether one eye or two is treated. The exact single-eye figure is confirmed in writing after your diagnostic consultation, and whether the eye is a candidate at all is determined by the operating surgeon.