Wavefront-guided custom LASIK is a personalised laser eye surgery in which an aberrometer measures the unique way light travels through your eye — including subtle higher-order aberrations that an ordinary glasses prescription cannot capture — and the excimer laser then sculpts a bespoke correction from that 3D map. Compared with standard LASIK it can deliver sharper, higher-contrast vision and fewer night-time halos and starbursts. At our partner clinics it costs from £2,400 per eye, all-inclusive, and treats short-sight, long-sight and astigmatism in a 10-minute, walk-in walk-out procedure.
What is wavefront-guided LASIK?
Standard glasses and contact lenses correct only lower-order aberrations — short-sight, long-sight and astigmatism. But every eye also has higher-order aberrations: tiny, individual imperfections in the optical system that affect the crispness of vision, especially in low light. These are why two people with the same prescription can see very differently at night.
Wavefront-guided LASIK uses an aberrometer to send light into the eye and measure exactly how it is distorted on the way back out, creating a detailed optical “fingerprint”. The LASIK laser treatment is then customised to that fingerprint, correcting both the everyday prescription and many of the higher-order aberrations at the same time.
It is one of three modern customisation strategies, alongside wavefront-optimised LASIK and topography-guided (Contoura) LASIK. Your surgeon chooses the right platform for your eyes based on your scans.
Conditions it can treat
- Short-sightedness (myopia) — typically up to around -8.00 to -10.00 D depending on corneal thickness
- Long-sightedness (hyperopia) — up to around +4.00 to +5.00 D
- Astigmatism — up to around 5.00 to 6.00 D
- Higher-order aberrations — the source of glare, halos and reduced night vision in many patients
If your prescription or corneas fall outside the LASIK range, your surgeon may recommend PRK/TransPRK, SMILE or an implantable contact lens (ICL) instead. See also refractive error & presbyopia.
Curious whether your eyes suit custom LASIK? A consultation includes wavefront aberrometry and corneal scans to confirm candidacy.
Book a laser assessmentCustom laser options compared
“Custom” laser vision correction comes in several flavours. Your consultant recommends the platform that best fits your scans and lifestyle:
What happens during wavefront LASIK
LASIK is performed under local anaesthetic eye drops. You stay awake but feel no pain — only mild pressure for a few seconds. Both eyes are usually treated in the same visit, and you'll be in the laser suite for around 15 minutes per eye.
- Numbing drops are placed and your eye is gently held open with a soft clip.
- A precise corneal flap is created (with a femtosecond laser in bladeless LASIK) and lifted.
- The excimer laser applies your personalised wavefront-guided profile in seconds, reshaping the cornea to your unique map.
- The flap is repositioned, where it bonds naturally without stitches.
- The same is done for the second eye, and you rest briefly before going home.
Recovery week-by-week
LASIK recovery is fast. Most patients see remarkably well the next morning, with vision continuing to sharpen over the following weeks.
Day of surgery
Vision is hazy and the eyes may water, sting or feel gritty for a few hours. Rest with eyes closed. Wear the protective shields to sleep.
Day 1
Most patients wake with dramatically clearer vision and attend a next-day review. Many can drive once they meet the legal standard.
Week 1
Back to work and most activities. Lubricating drops for dryness. No swimming, eye rubbing or eye make-up yet.
Weeks 2–4
Vision and night-time quality continue to refine. Dryness settles. Most sport resumes; contact sport a little later.
Beyond a month
Vision is stable and the higher-order benefit of the custom treatment is most apparent in low light. Reviews continue to 12 months.
Cost & insurance
Our laser prices are all-inclusive: consultation and scans, the wavefront aberrometry, the laser treatment itself, post-op drops and your aftercare reviews. There are no hidden extras.
- Self-pay: from £2,400 per eye — see the full LASIK cost guide and laser eye surgery cost guide.
- Finance: 0% over 12–24 months available, subject to status.
- Not for laser? If your eyes suit a lens-based correction instead, see EVO ICL for high myopia or refractive lens exchange.