LASIK MD

About LASIK MD

LASIK MD operates as a prominent North American provider of laser vision correction services, commanding a significant market share in Canada. The company was established in 2001 by Dr. Mark Cohen and Dr. Avi Wallerstein, who opened the first two clinics in Montreal and Toronto with a mission to make laser vision correction more accessible and affordable. This venture was born out of the founders' previous experience at LASIK Vision Corporation, a publicly traded company that pioneered a value-pricing and direct-to-consumer advertising model for medical services. Following LASIK Vision's bankruptcy in 2001, Drs. Cohen and Wallerstein acquired many of its former facilities and implemented a similar high-volume, affordability-focused business model under the private ownership of LASIK MD.

The founders, both accomplished ophthalmologists, have extensive backgrounds that are foundational to the company's medical and business strategy. Dr. Cohen completed his medical degree and ophthalmology specialization at McGill University, earning the Holmes Gold Medal for the highest academic standing. Dr. Wallerstein earned his medical degree from Queen's University and also specialized in ophthalmology at McGill, followed by fellowship training at Cornell and New York University. Both doctors previously held national director roles at LASIK Vision and have collectively performed over 120,000 ocular procedures. Their expertise extends to training new surgeons; they established a teaching curriculum and their Montreal clinic serves as an accredited training center for ophthalmology residents.

LASIK MD's business centers on providing elective vision correction procedures to a broad consumer base, addressing conditions like myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Revenue is generated directly from patients for these surgical services, with the company emphasizing a "Lowest Price Guarantee" and offering financing plans to broaden market appeal. The target demographic is wide, including adults from 18 years old, with a notable concentration in the 35-42 age group. The company operates a network of more than 30 clinics across major metropolitan areas in Canada and has expanded into the United States. In 2018, the structure evolved with the formation of Vision Group Canada (VGC) after a merger with TLC Laser Eye Centres, creating one of North America's largest vision correction networks.

The service portfolio includes several types of laser eye surgery, such as Standard LASIK, Custom Wavefront LASIK, and blade-free procedures using femtosecond lasers. The company utilizes advanced technologies from industry leaders like Alcon and Bausch & Lomb, such as topography-guided lasers and the WaveLight® platform, to offer customized treatments. This allows for greater precision and makes the procedures available to patients with higher prescriptions or thinner corneas who may not have been candidates previously. Beyond LASIK, the company also performs procedures for presbyopia (age-related reading vision loss) and keratoconus, and some locations, like the flagship Montreal clinic, also handle cataract surgeries.