The Procedure Matcher.
Tell us about your eyes. We will return a screening estimate of which procedures you likely qualify for, with the FDA-approved range or AAO threshold that drove each verdict.
Tell us about your eyes.
What the matcher checks, in order.
- Age gate. Hard floor per procedure. LASIK ≥ 18, SMILE ≥ 22, ICL 21–45, RLE ≥ 45.
- Diopter range. Sphere and cylinder compared against each procedure's FDA-approved range (SMILE −1 to −10 D, ICL −3 to −20 D, LASIK ~−10 to +5 D, etc.).
- Cornea. If CCT is entered, compared against minimum thickness needed to leave a safe residual stromal bed (250 µm minimum, often 300 µm preferred). Without CCT, the result is marked "verify in exam."
- Dry eye. Severe dry eye disqualifies all corneal lasers until treated. Moderate dry eye marks LASIK borderline and steers toward SMILE or PRK.
- Lifestyle. Contact sports or military service steer away from LASIK (flap risk). Heavy night driving steers away from diffractive multifocal IOLs.
Every threshold is sourced. SMILE numbers from StatPearls NBK549896 and FDA P150040C. ICL numbers from PMC11110473 and EVO V4c FDA labeling. Dry-eye incidence from PMC11110473 and PMC5161410. RLE outcomes from PMC5584899 and PMC7856935.
"20/20 is guaranteed with LASIK."
It is not guaranteed. In the largest recent head-to-head (Hagan 2024, PMID 39641610), 95 percent of LASIK eyes achieved 20/20 uncorrected, not 100 percent. PRK and SMILE were 94 percent each. The FDA prohibits clinics from advertising guaranteed outcomes. If you see one, ask why.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this matcher versus a real consultation?
The matcher applies FDA-approved diopter ranges and the most commonly cited AAO and StatPearls candidacy thresholds. It is a screening filter. It will eliminate the obviously ineligible procedures and surface the ones worth discussing. Final candidacy needs pachymetry, topography, biometry, and surgeon judgment. We say so on every result.
Why does the matcher need my corneal thickness?
LASIK, PRK, and SMILE all need to leave a safe residual stromal bed (at least 250 µm) after ablation. With your CCT entered, the matcher can warn you when a procedure is borderline. Without it, eligible procedures are marked "verify in exam" rather than confirmed.
What if I do not know my prescription exactly?
Round to the nearest 0.25 D from your most recent contact-lens or glasses Rx. The matcher only needs ballpark accuracy because every result is bounded by the FDA-approved range, not by your single decimal point.
Does the matcher decide for me?
No. It rules in and rules out. The decision is yours, with a surgeon. The matcher exists because clinic landing pages will not tell you when no procedure is right for you.
Why is age a hard gate?
Refractive surgery on a still-changing eye fails. The minimums (18 for LASIK, 22 for SMILE, 21 for ICL, 45 for RLE) come from FDA labels and clinical-practice consensus on refractive stability and lens biology, not from arbitrary policy.