Wavelight Plus vs. LASIK: Procedure, Recovery and More Explained

For the first time in over a decade, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a major advancement in laser eye surgery, called WaveLight® Plus.¹ This next-generation LASIK technique allows surgeons to create a digital “twin” of your eye.² This opens the door for a more customized treatment that may even reduce certain visual issues that prior laser surgeries couldn’t resolve, like glare and halos.¹

But is this treatment right for you? And exactly how does it work? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the newest LASIK option on the market.

What Is WaveLight Plus?

Approved by the FDA in March 2025, Wavelight Plus uses a ray tracing technology called SightMap to capture a variety of detailed measurements of your entire eye that can be used to create a virtual 3D model.³ This allows the system to simulate multiple treatment scenarios on the virtual eye model and identify the best approach for your vision correction.⁴

Candidates

WaveLight Plus treats conditions like myopia (nearsightedness) or myopia with astigmatism.³ But it can also provide benefits that traditional LASIK doesn’t, such as minimizing nighttime visual disturbances like halos and glares.¹

Anyone who is over 18, has a stable prescription and is nearsighted or has astigmatism could be a good candidate.³

However, the FDA advises that WaveLight Plus might not be recommended if you have any of the following conditions or situations:³

• Active eye infections or inflammation
• Corneal structure degeneration
• Pregnant or nursing
• Recent herpes eye infections
• Severe dry eyes
• Thin corneas
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Uncontrolled glaucoma
• Weakened immune system

WaveLight Plus vs. LASIK

To better understand WaveLight Plus, it's helpful to compare it to two earlier technologies: conventional LASIK and wavefront-guided LASIK.

• Conventional LASIK uses a laser to reshape your cornea and treat common vision issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.⁵
• Wavefront-guided LASIK goes a step further by creating a 3D map of your cornea, allowing for more customized treatment. This is sometimes called WaveLight LASIK (without the “Plus” in the name).⁵
• WaveLight Plus builds on these advancements. It uses the same lasers, but adds a powerful new diagnostic tool that maps the entire eye, not just the cornea.¹ This helps your doctor detect subtle irregularities that older LASIK techniques might have missed.²

How Much Does WaveLight Plus Cost?

The exact price of your WaveLight Plus treatment will vary depending on the location, surgeon and diagnostic tests used before your treatment. Typically, cutting-edge lasers and newer technology tend to cost more than conventional LASIK.⁵

The national average cost* for standard LASIK in one eye is $1,560, ranging from $1,230 to $2,625. The national average cost for wavefront LASIK in one eye is $1,926, ranging from $1,480 to $3,737.⁶ Because WaveLight Plus uses newer technology, it will likely cost more than this. However, you will need to ask your local surgeon to get an exact quote.

Does Insurance Cover WaveLight Plus?

Unfortunately, because LASIK and WaveLight Plus are both elective procedures, they are unlikely to be covered by health insurance or Medicare. Some vision-specific plans may offer discounts or partial coverage. You may also be able to use an FSA (Flexible Spending Account) or HSA (Health Savings Account) to help cover the cost if you have one.⁷

How WaveLight Plus Works

Getting WaveLight Plus can be a simple process overall, including the following steps below.

Preparation

You’ll start by meeting with an eye doctor who performs WaveLight Plus. They’ll use special diagnostic tools to determine if you’re a good candidate. If you are, they’ll create a personalized treatment plan based on your eyes’ unique measurements.¹

Your doctor may give you specific instructions to follow prior to your procedure. Be sure to follow all their recommendations closely.

Procedure

The procedure itself takes only about 10 minutes. Including preparation, final measurements and short post-operation monitoring, you’ll be at the office for about 90 minutes.⁸

WaveLight Plus is safe, effective and approved by the FDA. However, as with any type of LASIK, there are rare potential side effects, such as:³

• A feeling of grittiness or pain in the eye
• Allergic reactions to medications
• Damage to the eye during the procedure
• Decreased vision
• Dry eye syndrome
• Headaches, if there is an imbalance between your eyes
• Hemorrhage or bleeding
• Infection or inflammation
• Less contrast sensitivity
• New visual symptoms like blurriness
• Trouble with night vision, including driving at night

Your surgeon may provide you with more details about potential side effects.

WaveLight Plus Recovery: Tips and Timing

Recovering from WaveLight Plus is a fast process. You’ll start noticing improvements in your eyesight within 24 hours, and your vision should continue to improve over the next few weeks.¹

As with any LASIK treatment, you’ll want to take precautions as you recover:⁹

• For the first few hours after your treatment, you may feel itching, burning, tearing and some pain. Rest your eyes and nap if you can.
• In the first 24 hours, avoid rubbing or touching your eyes. Your vision may seem a bit foggy at first.
• Use your prescribed medication exactly as directed, which may include eye drops and pain relievers.

For the first week:⁹

• Avoid contact sports.
• Avoid dusty or smoky environments.
• Don’t wear eye makeup.
• Take frequent screen breaks.
• Try to keep soap and water away from your eyes, including while bathing.
• Wear any night shields given by your doctor.
• You may see halos or glare at night due to swelling in your eyes.

For the first few months, you’ll have regular appointments with your eye doctor to document your recovery and track your progress.⁹

A Big Advancement in LASIK Treatment

WaveLight Plus represents the first major step forward in LASIK surgery in more than a decade.¹ By creating a 3D twin of your eye, it has the potential to deliver greater accuracy.² It can also reduce post-surgery disturbances like glare or halos that are sometimes associated with older LASIK methods.⁵ If you’re interested in learning more about this new treatment, talk to your eye doctor to see if you’d be a good candidate.

Financing WaveLight Plus With the CareCredit Credit Card

If you’d like to be less dependent on glasses or contact lenses, you may want to consider taking the first step to determine if you’re a good candidate for WaveLight Plus eye surgery. Schedule an appointment for an eye exam and a pre-operative consultation with your eye doctor, who can review your eye health and answer your questions. Remember that the CareCredit credit card provides a convenient option for financing not only your WaveLight Plus consultation and procedure but other vision care too.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a vision specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. 

Continue to invest in your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to easily manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to vision care, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, cosmetic, pet care, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Stephanie Dwilson specializes in science journalism, breaking news and animal health and is a business owner, non-practicing attorney and writer.