LASIK Alternatives: Compare Surgical and Nonsurgical Options
You have several choices besides LASIK. Glasses, daytime contacts and Ortho-K do not need surgery. Other choices include PRK, SMILE, a lens placed inside the eye, or lens replacement. The right choice depends on your eyes, vision needs and daily life. If LASIK was ruled out, first ask why.
You may want another surgical option. Or you may want clearer vision without surgery at all. Both are reasonable places to start.
sleepSEE offers doctor-directed Ortho-K. This means an eye doctor leads your care. This guide also covers choices outside our program. It can help you plan what to ask at your exam.
Compare your options
Start with two questions: Do you want to avoid surgery? And what do you want to change about your current vision care?
Use this table to compare the main choices. An eye exam is needed to find out which ones fit your eyes. The cornea is the clear front part of your eye. Several of these choices change how it focuses light.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare all columns.
| Option | Surgery and how it works | Getting used to it or healing | Main limits and risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glasses | No surgery; correct vision while worn | Adjust to a new prescription or lens design | Frames can get in the way during some activities. You still need to wear them. |
| Daytime contacts | No surgery; correct vision while worn | Learn to handle lenses. Follow the plan for when to wear and replace them. | Dryness, irritation and infection. Clean reusable lenses, or use fresh daily lenses. |
| Overnight Ortho-K | No surgery; temporarily changes corneal shape. May reduce end-of-day dryness vs. daytime soft contacts; see the study below | A custom fit, checkups and lens wear on your doctor's schedule | Lens care and infection risk remain |
| PRK | Laser surgery removes corneal tissue for good. No LASIK flap is made. | The surface needs time to heal. Eyes may hurt and vision may blur at first. | Dryness, haze (cloudy tissue) and infection. You may still need glasses. |
| SMILE | Laser surgery; removes a small piece of corneal tissue through an opening | Healing, eye drops and follow-up checks | Dry eye, glare, halos (rings around lights) and other risks. It cannot treat every prescription. |
| EVO ICL / phakic lens | Surgery; adds a lens inside the eye while keeping the natural lens | Recovery and ongoing checks of the eye and implant | Eye pressure changes, cataract (a cloudy natural lens), infection and other risks. Removal needs more surgery. |
| Refractive lens exchange (RLE) | Surgery; replaces the natural lens with an artificial lens | Healing and adjustment to the lens selected | The natural lens cannot be put back. Risks include infection, a detached retina and vision problems. A detached retina means the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye pulls away. |
Dry eye is the most common side effect of LASIK. It is an important part of comparing your choices. AAO EyeWiki: dry eye after LASIK See how dry eyes affect your options.
This table lists some key benefits and risks. It is not a full consent form or a safety ranking. Read the details and sources below. Use the cost table to compare the price and later care.
Prefer no surgery?
- Glasses
- Daytime contacts
- Ortho-K
Open to another procedure?
- PRK
- SMILE
- Phakic lens
- RLE
An eye exam determines which options fit.
What are the options without surgery?
Glasses
Glasses can be a good choice if you want to avoid surgery and lens care. You can change the prescription as your needs change. Lenses can help you see far away, up close or both.
Think about what bothers you now. Frames that fit poorly or an old prescription may mean you need new glasses. They do not always mean you need a procedure. Keep glasses as backup if you choose contacts. National Eye Institute: refractive errors
Daytime contact lenses
Daytime contacts help you see without frames. You use daily lenses once and throw them away. Reusable lenses need cleaning and disinfection to kill germs. Both kinds need a prescription and a proper fit.
Contacts may fit your needs if you want a choice about when to wear them. You must be able to handle and care for them. Plan for regular costs. Do not sleep in lenses meant for daytime wear. Keep contacts away from water, including in the shower or pool. National Eye Institute: contact lenses
Ortho-K: overnight lenses for daytime vision
Ortho-K is short for orthokeratology. It uses custom lenses to change the shape of your cornea. You wear them during sleep and take them out when you wake. The goal is clear vision through your waking hours, without daytime glasses or contacts. It is mainly used for nearsightedness, which makes faraway things look blurry.
Keep wearing the lenses on your doctor's schedule to keep the effect. The shape change is not permanent. When you stop lens wear, the effect wears off. Your doctor checks your vision and lens fit to help you meet your daytime vision goal. FDA: types of contact lenses
Ortho-K needs lens cleaning, fitting visits and regular checks. A lens infection can harm your sight. The lens effect can reverse, but harm from a problem may not. Remove the lenses and call your eye doctor right away if you have pain, unusual redness, light sensitivity or blurred vision. FDA: contact lens risks
See how night contacts work or read our focused Ortho-K vs. LASIK comparison.
What surgeries are alternatives to LASIK?
Each type of surgery needs its own exam. The same eye problem may rule out more than one choice. Ask why a surgery fits your eyes. Ask about the device and the plan your surgeon would use.
PRK
PRK stands for photorefractive keratectomy. The surgeon removes cells from the cornea's surface. A laser then changes the shape of the tissue below. The surface cells grow back. No LASIK flap is made.
PRK may be an option if a LASIK flap is a concern. Your corneal measurements also matter. PRK still removes tissue. It is not right for every cornea that is thin or uneven.
Expect discomfort and blur while the surface heals. Duke Health says full vision improvement may take a month or more. Other risks include infection and haze, which means cloudy corneal tissue. Duke Health: PRK American Academy of Ophthalmology EyeWiki: refractive surgery
SMILE
SMILE stands for small incision lenticule extraction. A laser makes a small piece of tissue inside the cornea. The surgeon takes it out through a small opening. This changes the cornea's shape.
SMILE avoids a LASIK flap. But it is still surgery, and the tissue does not grow back. In the U.S., it can treat nearsightedness within set limits. Some treatments also correct astigmatism, a focus problem linked to eye shape. Risks include dry eye, glare, halos and infection. FDA-hosted VisuMax SMILE patient booklet
EVO ICL and other phakic lenses
A phakic lens is placed inside the eye. Your natural lens stays in place. EVO ICL sits behind the iris, the colored part of your eye. It sits in front of your natural lens. It treats nearsightedness. A toric version also treats astigmatism.
The surgeon checks the space inside your eye. The cells that line your cornea must also be healthy. Other checks matter too. A high prescription alone does not mean this lens is right for you. FDA: EVO ICL overview
The lens can be taken out if needed, but that takes more surgery. Removal does not promise your old vision back or erase the risks. Risks include high eye pressure, cataract, infection and loss of vision. FDA: phakic lens risks
Refractive lens exchange
Refractive lens exchange is also called RLE or clear lens extraction. The surgeon takes out your natural lens and puts in an artificial lens. Your age, prescription and lens changes help guide this choice. The lens you choose affects which distances you can see. You may still need glasses. Duke Health: clear lens extraction
RLE uses the same basic steps as cataract surgery. The aim is to rely less on glasses before a cataract needs to be removed. Risks include infection, eye pressure changes, a detached retina and vision loss. Ask about the risks for your eyes. Taking out your natural lens cannot be undone. Moorfields: refractive lens exchange National Eye Institute: cataract surgery
What if you're not a candidate for LASIK?
Ask for the exact reason before choosing an alternative. Being turned down for LASIK does not automatically mean another option listed above is right for you.
Use that reason to guide your next questions:
- Thin or uneven cornea: Ask if the concern is thickness, shape or disease. These are different issues. PRK still removes tissue. An uneven cornea needs careful checks.
- Dry eyes: Ask if you need dry-eye care before choosing how to correct your vision.
- Changing prescription: Ask whether waiting and checking it again would give a clearer picture.
- Prescription outside the treatment range: Ask which choices can treat your vision. Ask what eye measurements each one needs.
- Previous eye surgery or another eye condition: Bring your records. Ask whether the condition changes the risks of further treatment.
The FDA lists thin corneas, dry eyes, a changing prescription and past eye surgery as reasons for care when choosing LASIK. Each person needs an exam. These findings do not point everyone to the same other treatment. FDA: when LASIK may not be suitable
What if you have dry eyes?
LASIK can cause new dry eye or worsen symptoms you already have. Symptoms often improve as your eyes heal, but they can persist. The FDA warns that dry eye after LASIK can be severe and affect vision. AAO EyeWiki: dry eye after LASIK, FDA: LASIK risks
Start by having the dryness checked. Tell your doctor about burning, a gritty feeling or blur that comes and goes. The doctor can check your eyelids and how well your tears work. They can also check how much tear fluid your eyes make. National Eye Institute: dry eye
Ortho-K may offer more comfort if daytime soft contacts bother your eyes. A small study of adults lasted three months. Those using Ortho-K reported less dryness and discomfort at day's end than those using daytime silicone-hydrogel soft contacts. The cause of your symptoms still matters. Ask your doctor if Ortho-K fits your eyes. Study comparing Ortho-K and daytime soft contact lenses
SMILE does not treat dry eye. Its patient booklet says not to have it if you have severe dry eye. Contacts can also be hard to wear with dry eyes. Removing Ortho-K lenses for the day does not prove they fit your eye health. Discuss glasses and dry-eye care while your doctor checks the other choices. FDA: LASIK suitability SMILE patient booklet NEI: dry eye
How much do LASIK alternatives cost?
Get written quotes that cover the same things. Is the price for one eye or both? What does it include now and later? A surgery fee and a year of contacts pay for different care.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare all columns.
| Option | First costs to ask about | Later costs to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Glasses | Complete pair or prescription lenses only | Exams, repairs and future prescription changes |
| Daytime contacts | Fitting and a stated supply for both eyes | Replacement lenses, exams, care supplies and backup glasses |
| Ortho-K | Eye exam, fitting, lenses and visits covered by the fee | Follow-up exams, care supplies, replacements and any extra visits |
| PRK | Procedure quote for each eye and both eyes | Drops, follow-ups, possible further treatment and eyewear |
| SMILE | Procedure quote for each eye and both eyes | Drops, follow-ups, possible further treatment and eyewear |
| EVO ICL / phakic lens | Implant, surgeon and facility fees for each eye | Eye checks, medicines, possible later surgery and glasses or contacts |
| RLE | Lens choice, surgeon and facility fees for each eye | Follow-ups, medicines, possible further treatment and eyewear |
sleepSEE's adult Ortho-K fees
At our founding location in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Nonsurgical Vision Correction costs $2,400 for year one. This covers both eyes. The program aims to give clear daytime vision. The $93 evaluation fee counts toward enrollment. It is not charged twice.
After year one, the yearly sleepSEE exam costs $149. A full new pair of lenses costs $490, or $245 per lens. You buy the pair every two years. Care supplies and services outside the program cost extra. Ask for a written list of what the fee covers. These prices are for our founding location. Other providers set their own fees. sleepSEE costs and payment details
Examples of published surgery fees
For context, UCLA Health's posted faculty fees list PRK and SMILE at $3,500 per eye. That is $7,000 if both eyes have the same procedure. Its ICL fees are $6,663 per eye for a standard lens and $7,013 for a toric lens. UCLA Health: cost of services
These prices are in U.S. dollars and were checked September 25, 2026. They are UCLA's posted fees. They are not national averages or a quote for your care. Listing them is not an endorsement. Ask what the full price covers. Check any loan or payment-plan costs too.
What should you ask at an eye exam?
Bring your current prescription, older ones if you have them, and any eye surgery records. Tell the doctor about your medicines and dry-eye symptoms. Discuss night driving and the work or hobbies that matter to you.
Ask:
- Which choices fit my eyes, and which do you advise against?
- What would this option change about my daytime vision and reading vision?
- What risks matter most for my eyes?
- How long should I plan for adjustment, time off work and limits on driving?
- What happens if the result falls short or my vision changes later?
- Who handles urgent problems and ongoing checks?
- What is included in the quote, and what might I pay later?
Tell the practice if you wear contacts, including Ortho-K. Ask if you should stop lens wear before the eye measurements. If so, ask for how long. Follow that doctor's advice. FDA: preparing for refractive surgery
Common questions about LASIK alternatives
Already had LASIK? Read Can You Get LASIK Twice? for repeat-surgery assessment and other options.
Which LASIK alternative is safest?
There is no single best choice for everyone. Glasses avoid the risks of lens wear and surgery. Other choices may offer benefits you want. Talk about those benefits and risks with your eye doctor. An ad or table cannot choose for you.
Can I have clearer daytime vision without surgery?
Glasses and daytime contacts help you see while you wear them. Ortho-K aims for clear vision through waking hours without daytime glasses or contacts. It changes the cornea's shape for a limited time. Keep wearing the lenses on your doctor's schedule. An eye exam helps show whether this fits your eyes and goals. FDA: contact lens types
What if I've already had LASIK?
First, find out why your vision changed. Past LASIK does not mean more surgery or Ortho-K is right for you. Bring your surgery records. Ask which choices fit your eyes and current prescription. FDA: prior surgery considerations
Can any option guarantee I'll never need glasses again?
No. Most people need help to correct their vision at some point in life. Your eyes and vision needs change as you age. No option, with or without surgery, can promise the same vision for life. None can promise that you will never need glasses or more vision care. FDA: LASIK expectations and risks National Eye Institute: presbyopia
What about “LASIK without lasers” in the news?
Some news stories describe using electricity to reshape the eye. This is early research. An August 2025 ACS report described tests on rabbit eyes outside the body. That report does not show a treatment ready for people. This guide covers care options already in use. American Chemical Society: early corneal-reshaping research
Could Ortho-K fit your life?
Want to explore care without surgery? A sleepSEE provider can check whether Ortho-K fits your eyes and daily life. Use the visit to ask about benefits, lens care, limits and costs.
Find a sleepSEE provider for an adult Ortho-K evaluation
Still comparing? Read about Ortho-K for adults before you arrange a visit. If you want to compare surgical choices, arrange a consultation with a refractive surgeon.
Is Ortho-K Right for Me?
Considering Ortho-K as an alternative to surgery? Get the free adult guide.
- Learn what the eye exam checks.
- Plan for work, reading, night driving, travel and shift work.
- Plan costs with a five-year example and worksheet.
- Explore the first month, lens care and six questions for your doctor.
Is Ortho-K Right for Me?
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