People travel to Las Vegas
for a lot of reasons. Yours is your eyes.
Patients fly in from across the country to see Dr. Malitz — not because there aren't ophthalmologists where they live, but because they want a surgeon with 50,000+ procedures, 30 years of experience, and the honesty to tell them what they actually need. Las Vegas makes it easy. We make it worth it.
Why patients travel for Dr. Malitz:
✓ One surgeon does every case himself, start to finish
✓ Told "you're not a candidate" elsewhere? He often disagrees
✓ Premium IOL experience (PanOptix, Envy, Odyssey) most clinics can't match
✓ Coordinates follow-up care with your eye doctor back home
✓ No sales team, no pressure — just a straight evaluation
When the right surgeon isn't in your zip code
Most eye surgeries happen locally. But there are real reasons people get on a plane.
Eye surgery isn't like a knee replacement — you can't just find the closest hospital with a good rating. The outcome depends almost entirely on the judgment and hands of one person: your surgeon. The laser, the lens, the technique — those matter. But the person choosing which combination is right for your eyes matters more.
Patients fly to Las Vegas for Dr. Malitz for specific reasons. Some were told they weren't candidates for LASIK or premium cataract lenses, and they want a second set of eyes on the decision. Some want a surgeon who does the full range — LASIK, PRK, cataract surgery with premium IOLs, pterygium, glaucoma — because that breadth of experience shapes how he evaluates each case. Others simply want to sit across from a surgeon who'll give them a straight answer, not a presentation.
Las Vegas is the easiest city in America to fly into. Harry Reid International has direct flights from over 150 cities. Hotels are cheap, plentiful, and built for hospitality. You're not roughing it during recovery — you're in a city that knows how to take care of visitors.
Three days. One trip. Done.
We've streamlined the process so fly-in patients get everything handled in a single visit. Here's the typical schedule.
Full exam with Dr. Malitz
Not a tech, not a screener — the surgeon. Measurements, imaging, a thorough evaluation of your eyes, and an honest conversation about your options. If surgery is the right answer, we schedule it for the next day.
Appointment: Usually morning. Plan for 1.5–2 hours.
After: Rest of the day is yours. Recovery-friendly dinner nearby.
Surgery at our on-site center
AAAHC-accredited surgical center in the same building. No hospital, no separate facility. Most procedures take less than an hour. You walk in, we operate, you walk out. Someone should drive you back to your hotel.
Duration: 30–60 minutes depending on procedure.
After: Rest at your hotel. Protective eyewear provided.
Dr. Malitz confirms everything looks right
A morning follow-up to examine the surgical site, check your vision, and confirm healing is on track. If everything checks out — and it usually does — you fly home that afternoon with a clear recovery plan.
Fly home: Afternoon flight in most cases.
Follow-up: Coordinated with your local eye doctor.
Some procedures require a longer stay — retinal cases, complex cataract revisions, or bilateral surgeries done on separate days. We'll tell you exactly what to plan for after your initial phone consultation.
Procedures patients travel for
Not every eye surgery requires a specialist 1,000 miles away. These are the ones that do.
Cataract surgery with premium IOLs
Patients want Dr. Malitz's experience with PanOptix, Envy, and Odyssey lenses — and his judgment about which one actually fits their eyes. He's done enough of each to know the real-world tradeoffs, not just the brochure version. His No Needle, No Stitch technique means less discomfort and faster recovery.
LASIK & PRK
Patients told they aren't candidates elsewhere often find that Dr. Malitz sees it differently. PRK for thin corneas. ICL for extreme prescriptions. Clear lens exchange for patients over 45. He has the full range, so he's not steering you toward the one procedure his clinic offers.
Pterygium removal
Dr. Malitz's No Stitch pterygium technique has a lower recurrence rate than traditional methods. Patients from humid climates develop pterygia too — but they often can't find a surgeon who removes enough of them to have refined the technique. After 20+ years in Las Vegas, Dr. Malitz has.
Complex or revision cases
Prior surgeries that didn't go as planned. IOL exchanges. Difficult cataracts. Patients who need a surgeon comfortable operating on eyes that have already been operated on. This is where high-volume experience is the difference.
Glaucoma surgery
iStent, Xen, Kahook Dual Blade — often combined with cataract surgery in one trip. Patients travel for the efficiency of having both procedures done by one surgeon in one visit, with follow-up coordinated back home.
Sondra flew from Texas for clear lens exchange
"A dear friend of ours, Dr. Rick Abrahamson, introduced us and said you were the best in the country. The preoperative experience, the surgical experience — everything was top notch. Everybody's so kind. From A to Z, the whole process."
— Sondra, clear lens exchange patient · flew in from Texas
Every fly-in patient has a version of this story: they researched, they compared, and they decided the trip was worth it. The surgery takes less than an hour. The confidence that you chose the right surgeon lasts the rest of your life.
We don't disappear when you leave Las Vegas
Your follow-up care is coordinated before your plane lands. Here's how it works.
Comanagement with your local OD
Dr. Malitz coordinates post-operative care with your optometrist or ophthalmologist back home. We send them a full surgical report, your drop schedule, and a follow-up timeline. They handle the routine checks. Dr. Malitz stays involved for anything beyond routine.
Direct access to Dr. Malitz
If something comes up after you fly home — a question, a concern, something that doesn't look right — you call us directly. Dr. Malitz reviews the situation personally. If you need to come back in, we'll make it happen. This doesn't expire.
Complete records transfer
Your home doctor gets everything: pre-op measurements, surgical notes, imaging, IOL specifications, prescribed medications. No gaps in the record. Your local provider has everything they need from day one.
Las Vegas makes medical travel simple
You're recovering in a city built for hospitality. That's not a coincidence — it's an advantage.
Getting here
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) has direct flights from over 150 cities. Most domestic flights are under 4 hours. Our office on West Flamingo Road is a 10-minute drive from the airport. Rideshare from the terminal to your hotel is usually under $20.
Where to stay
Any hotel near the west side of the valley works well — you'll want something comfortable and quiet, not necessarily on the Strip. Several options within a few minutes of our office offer recovery-friendly rooms at reasonable rates. Brittany, our surgical coordinator, can suggest options when you book.
Bring someone
We recommend traveling with a companion for procedure day — you'll need someone to drive you back to the hotel and stay with you that evening. After that, most patients are independent. Your companion has an entire city to explore while you rest.
Desert recovery
Las Vegas is dry. Air conditioning runs everywhere. Both pull moisture from healing tissue. We'll send you home with a recovery plan calibrated for where you actually are — including a more aggressive lubrication schedule for the desert days and a separate plan for when you return to your home climate.
What fly-in patients ask
Straight answers.
Considering the trip?
Call us before you book a flight. Brittany, our surgical coordinator and concierge, will review your situation over the phone, tell you honestly whether it's worth traveling for, and plan your visit down to the day. Your first conversation is with us — not a call center.
Ask for Brittany: 702-362-3900 · W Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas