It’s hard to believe, but a quarter‑century has passed since LASIK MD first opened its doors to patients. Since then, we’ve transformed countless lives through the power of clear vision.

To celebrate our 25^th anniversary, we’re looking back at LASIK MD’s history and major milestones since 2021. Our success is built on hard work and dedication, and we sincerely thank our staff and patients for making it possible.

📈 A quarter‑century of growth

LASIK MD was founded in 2001 by Dr. Mark Cohen and Dr. Avi Wallerstein, who both previously studied at McGill University. When they started the company, they only had two clinic locations: one in Montreal and another in Toronto. The doctors had a clear goal in mind: they wanted to make laser vision correction as accessible as glasses or contact lenses, challenging the misconception that LASIK is overly complicated or unaffordable for the average person.

Twenty‑five years later, that small vision has grown into a network of more than 30 clinics across North America. Our surgeons have kept pace with that growth, too: they’ve now collectively performed more than 2 million procedures, double the milestone we marked five years ago.

🌎 Crossing into new territory: Welcome, Austin

LASIK MD’s American journey began over a decade ago with our first U.S. clinic in Syracuse, New York. The last five years brought a new chapter in that story: our expansion into Texas. Our Austin clinic, led by Dr. Farhan Irshad and Dr. Stephen Whiteside, now joins our Miami, Florida location to make up LASIK MD’s U.S. footprint today, bringing our signature combination of affordability and advanced technology to patients in the Lone Star State.

🏆 Celebrating 25 years of accomplishments

Over the years, LASIK MD strengthened its position as a leading Canadian vision correction provider. By expanding its clinic network and operational capacity, the company made advanced laser eye surgery available to more patients than ever before.

Our dedication to excellent patient experience and high‑quality results has been recognized through numerous awards over the years, including:

• In October 2024, our co‑founder and CEO, Dr. Mark Cohen, won the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Québec Award. He was recognized for expanding our network into a fully comprehensive eye care ecosystem, managing everything from manufacturing to clinical patient care.
• In March 2026, we launched the “Break Up with Your Glasses” campaign across Canada, which is a fresh, bold push to introduce the Gen‑Z population to a life without glasses or contacts.
• In April 2026, we teamed up with athlete and health advocate Pierre Lavoie on a bilingual campaign, including video content and radio spots in both English and French, to inspire more Canadians over 50 to picture an active life beyond glasses and contacts.

Our doctors excel beyond the clinic as academic leaders. Many of our surgeons have had their work published in academic journals, and Dr. Wallerstein established the first Canadian laser eye surgery teaching curriculum for ophthalmology students. Both founders remain certified C‑LASIK instructors, training the next generation of refractive surgeons out of LASIK MD’s Montreal clinic.

💡 Innovation never stops: Meet CLEAR

Staying on the leading edge of vision correction technology has always been part of LASIK MD’s story, and the last five years brought one of our most exciting additions yet: CLEAR, short for Corneal Lenticule Extraction for Advanced Refractive Correction.

CLEAR is a flap‑free laser procedure that belongs to the KLEx (Keratorefractive Lenticule Extraction) family, building on the proven benefits of SMILE. Using Ziemer’s advanced FEMTO LDV Z8 femtosecond laser, our surgeons remove a microscopic lenticule of corneal tissue through a single tiny incision (no flap required). That means less disruption to the eye’s corneal nerves, a lower risk of post-operative dry eye, and a faster return to high‑impact activities for athletes, first responders, and anyone with an active lifestyle.

CLEAR now joins LASIK as one of our most advanced options, alongside ICL for patients who aren’t LASIK candidates and refractive lens exchange (RLE), which has become an increasingly popular choice among patients over 50 looking to reduce their dependence on glasses.

❤️ Family is still at the heart of our business

Across 25 years and more than 30 clinics, one thing hasn’t changed: LASIK MD is a company that keeps family in mind. Dr. Cohen and Dr. Wallerstein’s families have been involved with LASIK MD since it was founded, which is a legacy we honour through the Les Cohen Award, created in 2016 to recognize exceptional LASIK MD employees who make a positive impact on their workplace.

🤝 Our commitment to the patient experience

Every journey starts with a free, no‑obligation consultation, where we run a series of diagnostic tests to confirm candidacy and walk patients through what to expect: from recovery time to cost and financing options. It’s an approach that continues to resonate: 99% of former LASIK MD patients report being satisfied with the results of their procedure^*.

🎯 LASIK MD’s goals for the future

LASIK MD remains committed to its founding goal: making high‑quality vision correction accessible to as many patients as possible. From our newest clinic in Austin to the latest innovations like CLEAR, we look forward to transforming even more lives through the power of clear vision for the next 25 years and beyond.

We’re a fast‑growing company, which means we’re constantly looking for talented individuals to join our team. If you’re interested in exploring a career with LASIK MD, check out our careers page.

Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about how LASIK eye surgery or another vision procedure can transform your life, book a free, no‑obligation consultation today. And if you want to keep up with all things vision and LASIK MD’s accomplishments, be sure to visit our blog and our newsroom.

^*99% figure taken from internal Patient Satisfaction survey results