Refractive eye surgery and LASIK are both surgical procedures that can improve your vision. In refractive lens surgery, the surgeon removes the natural lens inside of the eye and replaces it with a lens that corrects your prescription. LASIK is a corneal surface layer surgery; the surgeon uses lasers to create a flap in the cornea. The flap is lifted and the surgeon reshapes the cornea using lasers. The flap is then replaced and the cornea begins to repair itself.