LASIK in Denver: Candidacy, Cost, Recovery and How to Choose a Surgeon

Who is probably not a good LASIK candidate

The FDA's page When is LASIK not for me? is direct. It says you're probably not a good candidate for refractive surgery in three situations:

• You aren't a risk taker. Some complications can't be avoided in a percentage of patients, and there's no long-term data for current procedures.
• It could hurt your career. Some jobs prohibit certain procedures, so check your employer's rules first.
• Cost is a problem. Most medical insurance won't pay for refractive surgery.

A prescription that's still changing

The FDA calls changing prescriptions “refractive instability” and counts a glasses or contact lens prescription change in the past year against you. It says instability is more likely in people in their early 20s or younger, people with diseases such as diabetes that make hormones fluctuate, pregnant or breastfeeding patients, and people taking medications that change vision.

The AAO adds that vision fluctuates up to about age 25, during pregnancy, breastfeeding or menopause, and after about age 40 to 45.

Eye and health conditions that need a closer look

• Age under 18: no lasers are approved for LASIK on anyone under 18 (FDA).
• Dry eye: the FDA says LASIK “tends to aggravate” it.
• Blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) and any earlier refractive surgery such as RK, PRK or LASIK (FDA).
• Keratoconus, glaucoma, cataract, ocular herpes and other eye conditions (AAO).
• Diabetes and autoimmune diseases (AAO).
• A severe refractive error, which the AAO says lowers the chance of success and raises the chance of needing a retreatment.

If one of these applies, you may still have options. Our guide to SMILE, PRK and ICL covers what official sources say about the main alternatives.

What results look like

The AAO says serious complications are rare and most patients are happy with their results. It also says a small number of patients have real, lasting side effects such as pain and dry eye (AAO, 2024).

Risks to discuss with the surgeon

The AAO lists worse vision than before even with glasses (loss of best-corrected vision) and under- or over-correction among LASIK risks. In 2022, the FDA released draft guidance on LASIK. As reported by FOX 9, a news report rather than an FDA page, the draft listed these risks:

• Vision loss, usually temporary but in rare cases permanent
• Corneal infection, inflammation and flap problems that could lead to permanent vision loss
• Retinal detachment
• Dry eye, usually better within 3 to 6 months but in rare cases permanent
• Pain that in some patients may never go away
• Possibly still needing glasses after surgery

Recovery: from the next day to about six months

1. The day after surgeryYour doctor checks you.
2. The first weeks and monthsSome blurring or changing vision is normal, according to the AAO.
3. Follow-up visitsThese usually continue for six months or more.
4. Around six monthsVision is usually stable. If problems remain, another laser surgery may be recommended.
5. Before any enhancementThe FDA checklist says not to have one until your prescription stops changing.

Sources: AAO recovery guidance, published May 25, 2023 and the FDA LASIK surgery checklist. Your surgeon's written instructions take priority over any general timeline.

What LASIK costs in Denver

We couldn't find reliable Denver-specific LASIK prices, and the FDA doesn't regulate fees. The best public reference points are national estimates:

Quotes are structured differently, so ask each practice to put the full price in writing and say what it covers: the consultation, surgery on both eyes, follow-up visits through the six-month mark, and what happens, and what you pay, if an enhancement is recommended later.

Paying with an HSA or FSA

• IRS Publication 502 lets you include what you pay “for eye surgery to treat defective vision, such as laser eye surgery or radial keratotomy” as a medical expense.
• IRS Publication 969 says HSA withdrawals for qualified medical expenses aren't taxed. Expenses from before you set up the HSA don't count.
• Health FSA salary-reduction limits are $3,300 for 2025 and $3,400 for 2026, with maximum carryovers of $660 and $680 (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, reported by Mercer).
• The American Refractive Surgery Council, an industry group, says LASIK, SMILE, PRK and ICL qualify for FSA and HSA funds.
• To deduct LASIK on your taxes, you must itemize, and only medical expenses above 7.5% of adjusted gross income count (GoodRx, citing 2024 IRS rules).

Read the rules yourself in Publication 502 and Publication 969, and see Mercer's summary of the FSA limits. Your plan administrator or a tax professional can confirm how they apply to you, including your plan's own deadlines and carryover rules.

A checklist for comparing Denver LASIK practices

The FDA says choosing the right patient and the surgeon's experience and skill are “still the most important considerations.” It can't refer you to a surgeon and keeps no registry of doctors, so the comparison is up to you. Use this list at each consultation:

1. Verify the surgeon's Colorado license and discipline record, and check board certification with the American Board of Ophthalmology.
2. Ask who will perform your surgery and how many LASIK procedures that surgeon has done.
3. Ask how your eyes measure up on the FDA checklist: prescription stability, pupil size in dim light, corneal thickness and dry eye.
4. Ask whether LASIK or an alternative suits your eyes better, and why.
5. Ask how under- or over-correction is handled and who decides whether an enhancement is needed.
6. Ask who sees you for follow-up, for how long, and whom to call after hours.
7. Get the total price in writing, including what is and isn't covered.

Our verification guide shows exactly where to run the license and certification checks.