How much does Lasik eye surgery cost in Mexico? I recently had Lasik eye surgery in Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico and I am extremely happy with the results! Let me tell you my short story before I give you a breakdown of the costs.
I lived with bad eyesight since I was a young girl. I wore contact lenses since I was 15. That is over 25 years of contact lenses! I am near-sighted and my prescription was – 6.00. I also have astigmatism in both eyes. I tried contacts to correct astigmatism and they were so uncomfortable that I had to stick to my plain contact lenses.
Anytime I wore glasses my lenses were very thick and they made my eyes look small. I hated it and I felt ugly, although I know that is vanity, it was how I felt. When I was a kid I was always breaking my glasses because I was a true tomboy. So I was overjoyed when my parents agreed on contact lenses. Lasik was the next step!
I wanted Lasik eye surgery since I first heard about it years ago in Kentucky. When we moved to Mexico in 2013 that was one of the medical procedures on my to-do list. I don’t know why it took me almost eight years living here before I had it done!
Perhaps it is because the last few years my allergies have been getting worse and I was forced to wear my glasses on multiple occasions to my great displeasure. I am sure that I should not be whining as there are people that need glasses and don’t have access to them…. But I am whining! Wearing glasses and a face mask is awful! My glasses always fogged up and then I could not see. It’s ridiculous!
Using Google Maps I found Cirugia Oftalmica Ambulatoria or COA Clinica de Salud Visual. It had very good reviews so I made an appointment with Dr. Nicolas Leon Perez or Dr. Nico. A basic appointment costs 800 pesos or about 40 USD. I decided to go ahead and have studies done in preparation for Lasik surgery. The doctor needed to be sure I was a suitable candidate for the surgery. So my first appointment was 2300 pesos or about 115 USD. That cost covered three separate appointments as I had to come into the clinic for multiple tests on three different days.
I could not wear my contact lenses for two weeks prior to the surgery. I think that was the longest time I wore glasses in over 25 years. A couple of days before my surgery I had to use Zymar XD eye drops to prevent infection and then for a couple of weeks after the surgery I had to use the same drops plus Trazidex eye drops for inflammation. I also used Refresh eye drops for dry eyes. These three medications cost me 1620 pesos or about 81 USD. After the surgery, I had to wear a pair of goggles at night so that I would not rub my eyes. They were very annoying but important for proper healing. They were included in the cost of the surgery.
I won’t describe the surgery here but if you are interested in the procedure this article explains, How Does Lasik Work? The surgery was very short and yes, I was awake the whole time. They gave me eye drops that numbed my eyes so I felt no pain although it was a very weird sensation, to say the least. They use a metal device to hold open your eyes during the surgery because you absolutely cannot blink. This picture was taken immediately after the surgery.
COA Clinica de Salud Visual has a wonderful staff. Everyone was extremely helpful. Dr. Nico speaks English which was unexpected but very much appreciated. He explained everything to me in great detail and is very kind and honest. The clinic is sparkling clean and is taking all precautions against COVID-19. Their equipment is high-quality and very modern. My Lasik surgery was performed with the latest and most successful techniques available. I highly recommend COA Clinica de Salud Visual to anyone with eye conditions or diseases. Actually, my grandmother is now being treated there for a degenerative eye disease and she is also receiving excellent care.
The average cost of Lasik in the United States per eye in 2021 is 2246 USD.
That cost is per eye. My Lasik eye surgery cost in Mexico was 30,000 pesos or about 1500 USD for both eyes. If you add the cost for the studies and the three medications, the total cost for me was 33,920 pesos, or about 1700 USD. I think that was a very good price considering my eyesight prior to the surgery and considering the average cost of Lasik per eye in the US is 2256 USD.
The total cost of Lasik in Mexico for both my eyes was about 1700 USD.
So there you have it! Now you know how much does Lasik eye surgery cost in Mexico? And you also know a little bit about the procedure.
It seems I have been writing a lot of medical-related articles recently. After this article, I hope that will be slowing down! I am ready for a rest. Although Brad and I are coming up on our COVID-19 vaccines! Right now they are finishing up ages 50 to 59 and we are in the next age group of 40 to 49. But I won’t be writing about that since I already wrote about my parent’s experience getting the vaccine in Mexico.
Have a wonderful day wherever you are in the world, Signing off, Tina
Originally published June 16, 2021
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A ridiculous amount of coffee was consumed in the process of creating this project. Add some fuel if you'd like to keep me going ;-) Gracias!
I looked into getting Lasik in Mexico but ended up going ahead and getting it done here in KC. Each eye was $1800, and I couldn’t be happier (well, maybe a bit happier if I had saved the $)
That’s great! And yes, saving money is always nice! Haha! Thanks for commenting and have a wonderful day!
This was a great reference to tell the hubby. All my primos have gotten lasik and that was 20 years ago when i first started hearing about it. I have lots of family in Guadalajara and most likely would have it done there. Praying your ministry goes well! God bless!
Thank you, Maria! My experience was great. I love the results of my surgery. It’s wonderful to be able to see clearly without contacts or glasses!
Hello :)
I have been thinking about getting lasik eye surgery in Mexico. I live in the U.S. I know everyone’s experience is different. However, based from your experience how long do you think I would have to stay in Mexico? In order to go to my pre appointments and follow up appointments?
Thank you,
Alma
Well, my Lasik doctor in Uruapan wanted me to return for a one-year follow-up visit. However, living in Puebla now, that did not happen. I didn’t want to make the six-hour drive. I think some of it may depend on your eyes and your doctor. However, I would definitely recommend at least four to six weeks. You will have more appointments during that time because they want to make sure the surgery went well. There are extreme cases where due to unforeseen circumstances, you might even require follow-up surgery to make a small correction. I hope the best for you and your eyes :-)
Hello, I am interested in doing my LASIK eye! I am wearing glasses now but I’m looking to get my eye done so I can get rid of the glasses!
Based on my experience, I highly recommend it. My doctor did a wonderful job and I am very happy with the results. I wish you the best! Tina
Hola Tina buenos días me encantaría contactarte
You are welcome to send me an email at gringoslocos6@gmail.com :-)
What was the total time-frame (from first exam to surgery to being cleared for travel etc) that you experienced? For those of us north of the border, booking long-term accommodations and travel is another cost concern. I had a lot ($40,000 USD) of dental work done in Mexico in 2008 for around $7000 USD base price, but between driving to the border (17 hours) & gas involved + 10 days of basic motel accommodations, it was the better part of $1,000 additional travel expenses. This doesn’t even cover how much time off work is required.
I suppose certain initial exams could be done stateside and forwarded to a clinic, but just curious how much time you spent for LASIK that’s actually required for a patient to be in Mexico/close proximity to a clinic.
Well, we live in Mexico so I did not have any travel expenses. Those would definitely up the cost. As would taking time off work, which I also did not have to do, as I am a stay-at-home mom.
I am thinking that to have Lasik surgery in Mexico you would need at least two weeks. Most surgeons will want you to have the initial exams with them. If they use exams from another clinic and there were any problems, this could bite them in the butt. Operating is no simple matter and the exam results must be accurate to successfully perform the procedure.
You would also need to schedule your surgery immediately after your initial exams. Two weeks should allow you to return for your first check-up. I think you could probably find someone for subsequent checkups in the US. However, if there was any degradation in your eyesight you would then have to return to Mexico for another surgery to get the results you paid for.
Please keep in mind that my surgery was over a year ago. I might be forgetting some of the details and the timeframe I stated above may not be accurate. Perhaps when I wrote this article I should have been a little more specific!
One thing you might consider, is making a vacation out of it. For me the downtime was minimal. I remember walking out of the clinic with my funny sunglasses on and thinking, “Oh my word! I can see!” It would need to be a very calm and relaxing vacation but I suppose it’s possible. Then you can at least say that the expenses were both for the surgery and your vacation! Two for one :-)
It’s good to hear, Tina, that your Lasik procedure went well. I’m happy for you.
Aris Vision CDMX
https://arisvisionmexico.com/
I love it! No more contacts or glasses! It’s great :-)