Latest News Refractive Surgery Council Reports 32 Percent YTD Increase in Laser Vision Correction Procedure Volume over 2020 By Staff Thursday, February 3, 2022 12:15 AM DALLAS—The Refractive Surgery Council (RSC) reported that laser vision correction (LVC) procedure volume for the fourth quarter of 2021 totaled 190,509 procedures, marking a year-to-date increase of 32 percent over 2020. The total procedure volume for 2021 topped 833,000 for the first time since RSC began tracking LASIK, SMILE and PRK procedures in 2015. The results demonstrated “a significant consumer shift toward refractive surgery options to glasses and contacts,” the RSC announcement noted. The SMILE procedure is SMall Incision Lenticule Extraction, and PRK is Photorefractive Keratotomy, a type of laser vision correction procedure that has been available in the U.S. for more than 20 years. “We can confidently state LASIK, SMILE and other laser vision correction procedures are trending upward,” said RSC chairman Jim Wachtman. “Looking at the historical data, it is clear 2021’s performance is reflective of a renewed consumer interest in and demand for the procedures, not just about catching up from pandemic-related disruptions.” He added, “Given the trend in people prioritizing their personal goals, we are very optimistic about 2022.” There are many options in LVC to suit a significant portion of the 165 million American adults who need vision correction, the organization noted. The most popular procedures include LASIK, SMILE and PRK, each of which use sophisticated computer-guided laser technology to reshape the cornea to improve its ability to focus. RSC’s procedure volume report is based upon utilization data gathered from the industry’s leading refractive device manufacturers, providing a valuable market performance indicator for the sector. Formed in 2010, the Refractive Surgery Council said it is “a leading voice in the field of refractive surgery.” Its membership is composed of industry representatives from Alcon, Johnson & Johnson Vision Surgical, Zeiss, and Ziemer, as well as medical organizations, including the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery (AECOS), the International Society for Refractive Surgery (ISRS) and the Refractive Surgery Alliance Society (RSA). Through its educational programs, RSC helps people make informed choices about laser vision correction.