If you’ve started researching vision correction, you’ve probably noticed there’s more than one answer to “What’s the best way to get rid of my glasses?” LASIK and EVO ICL are both excellent procedures, but they’re not interchangeable. The right choice depends entirely on your eyes, your prescription, and your goals. Here’s how I think about it.
What LASIK and EVO ICL Actually Have in Common
Both procedures eliminate your need for glasses or contacts for most activities. Both are performed in-office, take less than 20 minutes per eye, and have remarkably fast recoveries. Most patients see clearly the next day. Both have excellent safety records and long-term data backing them up.
And honestly? Both are life-changing. I say that as someone who has spent my career in cornea and vision correction surgery. There’s something extraordinary about watching a patient open their eyes after surgery and seeing the world clearly for the first time without correction.
The difference is in how each procedure works, which is what determines who’s a good fit for which.
How LASIK Works (and Who It’s Best For)
LASIK reshapes your cornea using a laser. A thin flap is created on the surface of the cornea, the laser gently removes microscopic amounts of tissue to change how your eye focuses light, and the flap is replaced. The whole thing takes about 10 minutes per eye, and most people are seeing 20/20, or close to it, the next morning.
LASIK is an excellent option for a wide range of patients. Roughly 80 to 85 percent of people who want laser vision correction are good LASIK candidates. That said, a few things can make LASIK the wrong fit:
- Thin corneas. Corneal thickness matters because we need enough tissue to reshape safely.
- High prescriptions. Very high levels of nearsightedness or astigmatism may leave too little corneal tissue after reshaping.
- Chronic dry eye. LASIK can temporarily reduce tear production. For patients with pre-existing dry eye, this is an important consideration.
- Active keratoconus or unstable prescription. We need your prescription to be stable before any elective vision correction.
If any of these apply to you, LASIK might not be your best option. But that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. It means EVO ICL might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
How EVO ICL Works (and Who It’s Best For)
EVO ICL stands for Implantable Collamer Lens. Rather than reshaping the cornea, we gently implant a small, flexible lens between your iris and your natural lens. Your natural lens stays perfectly intact. The implanted lens does the focusing work instead.
This is what makes EVO ICL so elegant: it’s additive, not subtractive. We’re not removing tissue, we’re adding precision optics. For the right patient, it often produces exceptionally sharp vision, with many patients reporting visual quality that surpasses what glasses or contacts ever gave them.
EVO ICL is particularly well-suited for:
- Higher prescriptions. It can correct a wider range of myopia and astigmatism than LASIK.
- Thin or irregular corneas. Because we don’t touch the cornea at all, corneal thickness isn’t a limiting factor.
- Patients with dry eye concerns. EVO ICL doesn’t disrupt corneal nerves the way laser procedures can, so it’s generally better tolerated by dry eye patients.
- Patients who want a reversible option. If your prescription changes significantly over time, the lens can be removed or exchanged, something laser procedures can’t offer.
The EVO ICL also has built-in UV protection, which I appreciate for my Las Vegas patients who spend time outdoors year-round.
So Which One Is Right for You?
Here’s the honest answer: I can’t tell you from a blog post. And anyone who can is guessing.
The decision between LASIK and EVO ICL comes down to your specific corneal anatomy, your prescription, your tear film, and your lifestyle goals. We measure all of that at your consultation using advanced diagnostic technology: corneal mapping, wavefront analysis, anterior segment imaging. We make the recommendation based on your eyes, not a one-size-fits-all algorithm.
Here’s my honest take on the LASIK versus EVO ICL decision: it should never be about which procedure a practice happens to offer. It should be about your eyes. Getting the EVO ICL right starts with getting the size right, and that’s where most practices fall short. The standard approach estimates lens size from external measurements. At Schorr Vision, we go further. We use the Sonomed ultra-high-resolution ultrasound to directly image the internal architecture of your eye: the exact space behind the iris where the ICL will rest, something no external scan can see. Those measurements are analyzed with ICL Guru sizing software to select the lens dimensions matched precisely to your anatomy.
This approach isn’t something I picked up from a weekend course. In 2025, I traveled to Mendoza, Argentina to train personally with the Zaldivars, the family of surgeons who pioneered the ICL and have performed more of these procedures than anyone in the world. Learning the nuances of EVO ICL directly from the surgeons who wrote the book on it shaped how I plan, size, and perform every ICL surgery.
Sometimes the right answer is LASIK. Sometimes it’s EVO ICL. My only agenda is matching you to the procedure that will give you the best vision of your life, safely, and having the training and technology to deliver it. If someone told you no, come let me take a look. There’s a good chance the conversation is just getting started.
Ready to Find Out Which Procedure Fits Your Eyes?
The best way to know is a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Schorr at Schorr Vision. We’ll take the time to evaluate your eyes thoroughly, walk you through your options honestly, and give you a clear recommendation. No pressure, no upsell. Just a thoughtful answer to a very personal question.
Schedule your consultation at SchorrVision.com.
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