If you have been researching advanced LASIK options, you have likely come across both Contoura® Vision and WaveLight® Plus LASIK. Both are topography-based platforms that go beyond standard LASIK. Both can deliver excellent outcomes. And both represent a meaningful step forward from older wavefront-optimized systems.
It helps to understand where these two platforms fit in the broader timeline. Contoura® Vision was Alcon’s first topography-guided LASIK technology, introduced commercially in the US in 2016. WaveLight® Plus, approved by the FDA in 2025, is Alcon’s next generation platform, built on the same excimer laser foundation but with significantly more advanced diagnostic technology. In that sense, this is less a competition between rivals and more an evolution within the same family of technology.
For patients seeking the most customized outcome available today, the distinction matters. This article explains how these two platforms differ, what each one actually measures, and what the clinical evidence says about outcomes.
At a Glance: Contoura® Vision vs. WaveLight® Plus LASIK
Green cells indicate an advantage. Where both platforms share an advantage, both cells are highlighted.
| Feature | Contoura® Vision LASIK | WaveLight® Plus LASIK |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Technology | Topolyzer Vario (corneal surface only) | SightMap™ full-eye 3D mapping ✓ |
| Higher-Order Aberration Treatment | Corneal surface only | Entire optical system ✓ |
| Customization Level | Partially custom | Fully custom, eye-specific 3D model ✓ |
| Night Vision Optimization | Improved vs standard LASIK | Advanced, pupil-independent ✓ |
| Enhancement Flexibility | Excimer platform ✓ | Excimer platform ✓ |
| Recovery | Fast ✓ | Fast ✓ |
| FDA Approval | 2016 | 2025 (next generation) ✓ |
| Clinical Outcomes | 93% achieved 20/20; 65% achieved 20/16 | 100% achieved 20/20; 89% achieved 20/16 ✓ |
Clinical outcomes data: Contoura® Vision FDA pivotal trial; He C, Bala C. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2023;49(11):1140-1146.
What Is Contoura® Vision LASIK?
Contoura® Vision is Alcon’s first topography-guided LASIK platform, commercially available in the US since 2016. Unlike standard wavefront-optimized LASIK, which applies a generalized treatment profile, Contoura® maps the surface of the cornea in detail using the Topolyzer Vario diagnostic device and uses that data to guide the excimer laser treatment.
By measuring thousands of data points on the anterior corneal surface, Contoura® can identify and treat corneal irregularities that standard LASIK would miss. Clinical studies showed strong outcomes, with 93% of patients achieving 20/20 vision or better and 65% achieving 20/16, along with significant reductions in glare, halos, and night driving difficulty.
Contoura® represented a genuine leap forward in personalized LASIK. Many surgeons, including Dr. Feinerman, adopted it as their primary advanced platform when it became available in 2016. Dr. Feinerman was among the first surgeons in Orange County to adopt it.
| The key limitation of Contoura® Vision: it measures and treats higher-order aberrations on the anterior corneal surface only. The internal optics of the eye, including the posterior cornea and crystalline lens, are not captured in the diagnostic data. For many patients, this is sufficient. For others, it means the treatment addresses only part of the optical system. |
What Is WaveLight® Plus LASIK?
WaveLight® Plus LASIK is Alcon’s next generation platform, receiving FDA approval in 2025. It was designed to address the limitation that Contoura® and earlier platforms left unresolved: the internal optics of the eye.
Rather than mapping only the corneal surface, WaveLight® Plus uses the INNOVEYES SightMap™ to build a complete three-dimensional model of the entire eye, including the anterior cornea, posterior cornea, and crystalline lens. That model is then used to calculate a fully customized treatment that accounts for how light travels through every structure of the eye, not just the front surface.
The result is a treatment that can address optical distortions that Contoura®, by design, cannot detect. One important contributing factor is the diagnostic technology itself. SightMap™ offers significantly more repeatable measurements and easier image acquisition than the Topolyzer Vario used with Contoura®. More reliable diagnostic data translates directly into more accurate treatment planning.
| → Related Article What Is SightMap™ Technology, and Why Does It Matter for LASIK? |
The Key Clinical Difference: Where the Measurement Stops
Both platforms use the WaveLight EX500 excimer laser for treatment. Both are blade-free when combined with a femtosecond laser for flap creation. And both can produce excellent outcomes for the right patient.
The meaningful difference is in what each platform measures and therefore what it can treat.
Contoura® Vision
Uses the Topolyzer Vario to measure the anterior corneal surface with high precision. Treats corneal higher-order aberrations. Does not capture or account for aberrations originating from the posterior cornea or crystalline lens.
WaveLight® Plus LASIK
Uses SightMap™ to measure the entire optical pathway of the eye using ray-tracing technology. Captures aberrations from all structures, including those that Contoura® cannot detect. Builds a fully personalized treatment model before the laser is applied.
| For patients whose higher-order aberrations originate primarily from the corneal surface, Contoura® Vision is an effective platform with a strong clinical track record. For patients with more complex optical profiles, or those seeking the most comprehensive customization currently available, WaveLight® Plus addresses a broader range of the optical system. |
| → Related Article WaveLight® Plus vs. Wavefront Optimized LASIK: What Is the Difference? |
What Do the Clinical Outcomes Show?
Contoura® Vision has a well-established outcomes record. Multiple studies have shown that a meaningful proportion of patients achieve vision sharper than 20/20, with high satisfaction rates and significant improvements in contrast sensitivity and night vision. In the FDA pivotal trial, 93% of patients achieved 20/20 vision or better and 65% achieved 20/16.
WaveLight® Plus LASIK is newer, but the clinical data is compelling. In a real-world study of 200 patients, 100% achieved 20/20 vision or better, 89% achieved 20/16, and 50% achieved 20/12.5, sharper than most patients had experienced with glasses or contacts. (He C, Bala C. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2023;49(11):1140-1146.)
As more real-world data accumulates, the clinical picture will continue to develop. The diagnostic precision of SightMap™ is an important factor: more repeatable measurements translate directly into more accurate treatment planning, and that precision shows up in the outcomes.
| Additional supporting evidence comes from a landmark head-to-head study presented at the 129th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in October 2025. While the study compared WaveLight® Plus to SMILE Pro rather than Contoura®, the results further validate the precision of the WaveLight® Plus platform: • 98% of WaveLight® Plus eyes achieved 20/12.5 or better, vs 82% with SMILE Pro • 100% of WaveLight® Plus eyes were within a quarter-diopter of the target prescription • More than 80% gained an additional line of vision beyond baseline • WaveLight® Plus produced lower levels of higher-order aberrations and better astigmatism correction (Kanellopoulos AJ. Presented at: 129th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology; October 18, 2025; Orlando, FL.) |
| → Related Article SMILE Pro vs. WaveLight® Plus LASIK: Which Is Right for You? |
Which Patients Benefit Most From Each Platform?
Contoura® Vision may be well-suited for:
- Those seeking a well-established topography-guided platform with a track record since 2016
- Patients whose higher-order aberrations originate primarily from the corneal surface
- Those with corneal irregularities that standard LASIK would not address
WaveLight® Plus LASIK may be the stronger choice for:
- Patients who want all of their eye’s higher-order aberrations treated, not just the corneal surface component
- Those concerned about night vision, halos, or glare that can persist when higher-order aberrations are not fully treated
- Those seeking the most comprehensive level of optical customization currently available
- Patients in visually demanding professions (pilots, athletes, surgeons, and those who drive frequently at night)
- Patients with moderate to high prescriptions or complex optical profiles
The right choice depends on the specific characteristics of your eye. A comprehensive pre-operative evaluation, including SightMap™ diagnostics, is the only way to determine which platform is most appropriate for your visual profile.
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A Note From Dr. Feinerman
Contoura® Vision is an excellent platform. When it became commercially available in the US in 2016, I was among the first surgeons in Orange County to adopt it, and I used it as my primary topography-guided system for nearly a decade. The outcomes were consistently strong.
In 2025, when WaveLight® Plus received FDA approval, I became the first surgeon in Orange County and greater Los Angeles to perform the procedure, bringing the next generation of customization to my patients.
WaveLight® Plus represents an evolution of custom LASIK because it opens a part of the optical system that previous generation platforms cannot access. For patients with high visual demands, that distinction makes a meaningful difference in the quality of their outcome.
My goal is always to select the best technology for each individual patient based on their specific eyes and visual goals. That begins with a thorough evaluation. Depending on what we find, the right answer may be WaveLight® Plus LASIK, PRK, EVO ICL™, or a lens-based solution. The procedure comes after the evaluation, never before it.
| SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION Dr. Feinerman personally reviews every SightMap™ evaluation · Newport Beach, CA · (949) 631-4780 |
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