Home › Departments › Femto LASIK & Refractive Surgery
Glasses-Free Rate
98.6% Success
Refractive Surgery

Life Without
Glasses Starts
Here.

Femto LASIK · ReLEx SMILE · Contoura Vision · ICL

The Refractive Surgery Centre at Al-Shifa Eye Hospital is Pakistan's most advanced laser vision correction facility. Powered by the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser and Alcon WaveLight EX500 excimer platform, our board-certified refractive surgeons perform Femto LASIK, ReLEx SMILE, and topography-guided Contoura Vision — delivering spectacle-free sight to thousands of patients each year with an unmatched 98.6% glasses-independence rate.

Every candidate undergoes a comprehensive pre-operative workup including corneal topography, wavefront aberrometry, pachymetry, and dry-eye assessment before a personalised procedure is recommended. Same-day results. Minimal discomfort. Life-changing clarity.

Refractive Errors We Correct

Book Free Screening Meet Our Surgeons
Am I a Candidate?

Who Is Suitable for Laser Vision Correction?

Not everyone qualifies for every procedure — and that's precisely why our comprehensive pre-operative screening exists. Our refractionists will determine the safest, most effective option for your unique corneal profile.

Age ≥ 18 Years

Prescription must be stable for at least 12 months prior. Ideal candidate range is 20–40 years for optimal outcomes.

Required

Adequate Corneal Thickness

Minimum residual stromal bed of 250µm post-ablation. Pachymetry is measured during your screening visit.

Required

Normal Corneal Topography

Irregular or steep corneas (suspect keratoconus) are screened with Pentacam Scheimpflug imaging before any procedure.

Screened

No Significant Dry Eye

Moderate-to-severe dry eye disease is treated before proceeding. SMILE may be preferred as it creates fewer dry-eye symptoms than LASIK.

Evaluated

Not Suitable for LASIK?

Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL/EVO+) is an excellent alternative for thin corneas, very high myopia, or unsuitable topography.

Alternative

Not a Candidate

Pregnancy, active autoimmune conditions, uncontrolled diabetes, and progressive keratoconus are absolute contraindications.

Excluded
Our Technology

Precision Engineering Behind
Every Procedure

Al-Shifa's Refractive Centre operates on a dual-laser platform — a combination uniquely suited to delivering the widest range of laser vision correction options under one roof. The Zeiss VisuMax 800 femtosecond laser creates an ultra-precise, bladeless corneal flap or lenticule extraction for SMILE, while the Alcon WaveLight EX500 excimer laser delivers the world's fastest wavefront-guided ablation at 500 Hz.

"Choosing the right platform for the right patient is not a preference — it is a clinical imperative. Our pre-operative workup ensures every patient receives the procedure their eye was made for."

— Prof. Dr. Tariq Mehmood, Director of Refractive Surgery

Our Pentacam AXL Wave combines Scheimpflug topography, aberrometry, and axial length measurement in a single scan — providing a complete refractive and corneal profile in under 2 seconds. This data drives our wavefront-guided and topography-guided Contoura treatments, achieving supernormal vision quality in appropriately selected cases.

Platform & Equipment

State-of-the-Art
Laser Technology

Zeiss VisuMax 800

Latest-generation femtosecond platform for bladeless flap creation and ReLEx SMILE lenticule extraction — 3 MHz pulse rate, sub-micron precision.

Alcon WaveLight EX500

500 Hz excimer laser with ActiveTrak 3D eye-tracking — the world's fastest wavefront-guided ablation for LASIK and Contoura Vision.

Pentacam AXL Wave

Scheimpflug tomography with total corneal wavefront analysis — maps 138,000 data points per scan for unmatched pre-operative planning.

iDesign 2.0 Aberrometer

Abbott iDesign wavefront analysis for custom LASIK — captures 1,257 data points to measure higher-order aberrations and drive personalised ablation.

Procedure Comparison

Which Procedure Is Right for You?

A quick overview to help you understand the differences. Your surgeon will make the final recommendation based on your screening results.

Feature Femto LASIK ReLEx SMILE Contoura Vision ICL / EVO+
Flap Created Yes No (keyhole) Yes No (implant)
Recovery Time 1–2 days 1–3 days 1–2 days 2–7 days
Dry Eye Risk Moderate Very Low Moderate Minimal
Thin Cornea OK No Sometimes No Yes
High Myopia (> −8D) Limited Limited Limited Yes
Night Vision Quality Excellent Excellent Superior Excellent
Reversible No No No Yes
Patient Journey

Your Step-by-Step Pathway

1
Free Pre-Op Screening (90 min)

Comprehensive workup: Pentacam topography, wavefront aberrometry, pachymetry, dry-eye assessment, refraction, and pupil dilation. No obligation to proceed.

2
Surgeon Consultation & Procedure Selection

Your surgeon reviews all screening data and recommends the optimal procedure. All risks, benefits, and alternatives are discussed in full before consent.

3
Day of Surgery (10–15 minutes per eye)

The procedure itself is painless and remarkably quick. Topical anaesthetic drops are used. You remain awake and comfortable throughout. A brief post-op rest follows.

4
First Day Review (Next Morning)

Visual acuity is assessed. Most patients achieve 6/6 or better by this visit. Prescribed drops are reviewed and comfort assessed.

5
Follow-Up at 1 Week, 1 Month, 3 Months

Structured aftercare programme. Enhancement procedures offered at no additional charge within the first year if the refractive outcome is suboptimal.

What We Offer

Laser & Refractive Procedures

Every procedure performed by fellowship-trained refractive surgeons on the latest generation of laser platforms.

Femto LASIK

100% bladeless LASIK — femtosecond flap creation followed by wavefront-guided excimer ablation. Fastest recovery, same-day vision improvement.

10–15 min PKR 80,000/eye

ReLEx SMILE

Minimally invasive keyhole refractive procedure — no flap, no excimer laser. Lowest dry-eye risk and ideal for active lifestyles and contact sports.

15–20 min PKR 95,000/eye

Contoura Vision

Topography-guided LASIK using 22,000 corneal data points — corrects corneal irregularities beyond standard LASIK for superior optical quality.

10–15 min PKR 100,000/eye

EVO+ ICL Implant

Implantable Collamer Lens for high myopia or thin corneas — reversible, no tissue removed, preserves corneal biomechanics. Built-in UV protection.

20–30 min PKR 150,000/eye

PRK / TransPRK

Surface ablation for very thin corneas or irregular topography where LASIK/SMILE are not suitable. No flap, slightly longer recovery of 5–7 days.

10 min PKR 60,000/eye

LASIK Enhancement

Free-of-charge retreatment within the first year for patients who experience suboptimal outcomes, subject to corneal thickness criteria.

10 min No Charge (1yr)
Patient Stories

Life After Laser

Real voices from patients who said goodbye to glasses and contact lenses at Al-Shifa.

"I have worn glasses since I was seven years old. Waking up the morning after my Femto LASIK and seeing the clock across the room clearly for the first time in 22 years — I genuinely cried. Dr. Tariq's team made the whole experience feel completely safe. I cannot recommend this enough."

AK
Amna Khan
Islamabad — Femto LASIK (−4.50 D both eyes)

"As a field officer in the army, glasses were a constant problem. I had SMILE at Al-Shifa — no flap, no dry eyes, back on duty in three days. My vision tested 6/5 one month later. The team was incredibly professional and Dr. Hira explained every single step. Worth every rupee."

OB
Omar Baig
Rawalpindi — ReLEx SMILE (−6.00 D both eyes)

Ready to See the World Without Glasses?

Your free 90-minute screening will tell you everything you need to know. No pressure, no commitment — just clarity. Most patients are cleared to proceed on the same visit.

Book Free Screening 051-111-741-741