---
title: "Eye Surgery Abroad: 14-Point Checklist"
description: "LASIK, SMILE and cataract surgery are short procedures with high success rates — but equipment, surgeon experience and follow-up rigour are what separate…"
canonical: "https://www.cliniccheck.co.uk/checklists/eye-surgery-checklist"
format: "text/markdown alternate of the HTML page at canonical"
updated: "2026-05"
publisher: "cliniccheck — independent UK guide to treatment abroad; not a clinic, takes no bookings"
sources:
  - "https://www.rcophth.ac.uk/"
  - "https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/laser-eye-surgery-and-lens-surgery/"
  - "https://www.nice.org.uk/"
  - "https://www.gmc-uk.org/"
---
# Eye Surgery Abroad: 14-Point Checklist

LASIK, SMILE and cataract surgery are short procedures with high success rates — but equipment, surgeon experience and follow-up rigour are what separate clinics.

## When to use this checklist

Use this 14-point list before booking LASIK, SMILE, PRK or cataract surgery abroad. Refractive surgery is volume-sensitive: surgeons with ≥1,000 cases per year and current laser platforms (Zeiss VisuMax, Wavelight EX500, Schwind Amaris) deliver excellent outcomes. The risk is in poor patient selection — thin corneas or keratoconus being accepted for LASIK when they should not be.

## How to use it

Confirm the laser platform and surgeon volume before booking. Insist on full pre-op imaging (topography, pachymetry, dry-eye assessment) before any surgical decision. Antibiotic and steroid drops must be prescribed in writing with a clear taper schedule before you fly home.

## Before surgery

- **Confirm the laser platform: Zeiss VisuMax (SMILE), Wavelight EX500, Schwind Amaris are mainstream.** — Older platforms still work but ask why.
- **Surgeon performs ≥1,000 cases per year.** — Refractive surgery is volume-sensitive. Ask for the number.
- **Full pre-op assessment: topography, pachymetry, dry-eye work-up.** — 20-minute "screenings" are not adequate.
- **Realistic candidacy assessment.** — Thin corneas, high myopia and keratoconus may rule out LASIK. A good clinic will turn patients away.

## The procedure and after

- **Sterile theatre, single-use blades.** — Femtosecond lasers reduce risk further — ask which is used.
- **Antibiotic and steroid drops prescribed in writing.** — Aftercare drops are essential, not optional.
- **Follow-up at day 1, week 1, month 1, month 3.** — Online review is acceptable for later visits.
- **No flying within 24 hours; no swimming for 2 weeks.** — Your clinic should give you a written restriction list.

## Red flags

- No corneal topography or pachymetry done.
- Cataract surgery offered without IOL choice explained.
- Surgery same day as consultation, no pre-op tests.
- Marketing "20/20 guarantee" — refraction outcomes vary.

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: What is the main risk in refractive surgery abroad?**

A: Poor patient selection rather than poor surgery. LASIK, SMILE and PRK have high success rates, but thin corneas or undiagnosed keratoconus accepted for LASIK is where serious harm comes from — and only a proper pre-operative work-up catches it.

**Q: What pre-operative tests are non-negotiable?**

A: Corneal topography and pachymetry. Their absence is a red flag on its own: without mapping the corneal surface and measuring its thickness, nobody can say whether you are a candidate. Surgery on the same day as consultation with no pre-op testing is the pattern to avoid.

**Q: Does surgeon volume matter for laser eye surgery?**

A: Yes — refractive surgery is volume-sensitive. Surgeons performing 1,000 or more cases a year on current laser platforms such as the Zeiss VisuMax, Alcon WaveLight EX500 or Schwind Amaris deliver excellent outcomes.

**Q: What should I ask before cataract surgery specifically?**

A: For the intraocular lens options to be explained and the manufacturer and model named. Cataract surgery offered without a discussion of IOL choice is a red flag: the lens is the component that stays in your eye for life.

## Sources

- [Royal College of Ophthalmologists](https://www.rcophth.ac.uk/)
- [NHS — Laser eye surgery](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/laser-eye-surgery-and-lens-surgery/)
- [NICE — Eye surgery guidance](https://www.nice.org.uk/)
- [General Medical Council](https://www.gmc-uk.org/)