Ophthalmology website design: procedures, surgeons and referral paths

Three audiences: seniors and families, refractive patients and referring doctors

Demand for website builders is small: "ophthalmology website design" and "ophthalmology websites" each draw about 40 searches a month, with an average click on the first costing $52.26. Patient research is far larger: "cataract surgery cost" draws 12,100 searches a month and "lasik cost" 6,600 (Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026). Both top patient questions are about money, which tells you what your site must answer.

Design navigation around these three paths, for example "Cataract and lens surgery", "LASIK and vision correction" and "For referring doctors" in the main menu.

Page plan by subspecialty: cataract, refractive, glaucoma, retina and cornea

A page per procedure and condition matches how patients and referrers search, and gives Google a specific page for each need.

Write each page in patient language, cite the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) or National Eye Institute for medical statements, and link related pages (cataract surgery to lens options to costs). Our guide to cataract surgery pages covers that content in detail. For the general principles behind page structure, see medical website design.

Surgeon profiles that build trust

For elective surgery, the surgeon is the product. A good profile includes:

• Training and board certification. Name the certifying board (the American Board of Ophthalmology) and fellowship training.
• Procedures performed, with specifics patients ask about. The AAO's guide to choosing a cataract surgeon (opens in a new tab) suggests asking how many surgeries the surgeon has done, including with the lens type being recommended. Answer that on the page if you can.
• Outcome statements with a source. If you state results, cite them. For example, the AAO reports that about 9 out of 10 LASIK patients (opens in a new tab) end up with vision between 20/20 and 20/40. Don't present your own numbers as typical without data.
• Patient stories only with authorization. Testimonials and patient photos in marketing need a signed HIPAA authorization under 45 CFR 164.508 (opens in a new tab). The FTC's endorsement guides (opens in a new tab) add that viewers assume a featured patient's result is typical, so a "results not typical" note doesn't fix an unrepresentative story.
• A real photo and languages spoken.

Use structured data so search engines connect each surgeon to the practice. On schema.org, Ophthalmology (opens in a new tab) is a MedicalBusiness type, and the Physician (opens in a new tab) type offers properties such as medicalSpecialty, availableService and hospitalAffiliation.

A referring-doctor page and secure referral forms

Referring optometrists judge you on how easy you are to work with. Give them a page of their own.

1. How to refer: a secure online form, plus fax and direct phone for those who prefer them.
2. What to send: records and test results you need, and for which conditions.
3. Turnaround: when routine and urgent referrals are seen.
4. Communication back: when consult letters and surgical reports go out.
5. Co-management: how postoperative care is shared. When care is split under Medicare, the Claims Processing Manual says surgeon and co-managing provider must each keep the written transfer agreement (opens in a new tab) in the patient's record.

The referral form collects protected health information, so it must be HIPAA-compliant: encrypted, stored securely, access-controlled, and covered by a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with whoever hosts it. Never let a form email patient details in plain text. Optometry practices you work with face the mirror image of this page; see our guide to optometry websites.

Readable design for older patients

Many of your patients have the conditions you treat, which makes reading a screen harder. Design for that from the start:

• Body text larger than the usual web default, with generous line spacing.
• High contrast between text and background; no light gray on white.
• Large buttons and tap targets, spaced apart.
• Plain navigation with few levels and clear labels.
• Phone numbers as tap-to-call links, repeated on every page.
• Captions on videos and descriptive text on images.

The W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (opens in a new tab) are the reference standard here, organized around four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable and robust, with success criteria at levels A, AA and AAA. Use them as a checklist and test with real older users. Our guide to website accessibility basics is a practical starting point. Formal conformance needs an accessibility specialist's audit; a design guide like this one can't certify it.

Cost and financing pages for elective procedures

Cost is the top patient question, so answer it.

Cataract surgery: explain that Medicare Part B may cover cataract surgery (opens in a new tab) with a conventional lens, plus one pair of glasses or contacts afterward, and that presbyopia- and astigmatism-correcting lenses carry an extra patient-paid portion that you'll explain before surgery.

LASIK and refractive surgery: publish pricing with its conditions. In 2023 the FTC ordered LasikPlus (opens in a new tab) to disclose clearly whether a price is per eye, the price most consumers pay per eye, and any qualifications. Apply the same discipline voluntarily. More detail on LASIK claims and pricing.

Financing and tax-advantaged accounts: if you offer payment plans, state the terms. IRS Publication 502 (opens in a new tab) lists eye surgery to treat defective vision, such as laser eye surgery, as a medical expense, which matters to patients with HSA or FSA funds.

Good faith estimates: for uninsured and self-pay patients, CMS says providers must give a good faith estimate (opens in a new tab) when care is scheduled at least 3 business days ahead or on request (as checked October 22, 2026). Mention it on the cost page.

Checklist for judging any designer or platform

• A page per procedure, lens option and condition, by subspecialty.
• Surgeon profiles with training, procedures and sourced statements.
• A referring-doctor page with a HIPAA-compliant referral form and a signed BAA.
• Readable typography and contrast, tested with older users.
• Cost pages for cataract, premium lenses and refractive surgery.
• Structured data for the practice and each surgeon.
• No ad pixels on forms or pages that collect health information.
• You own the domain and content.

Red flags

• Testimonials and before-and-after stories without documented authorization.
• "20/20 vision or your money back" or similar promises anywhere on the site.
• A referral form that emails PDFs of patient records unencrypted.
• A designer claiming the site is "ADA certified".

What drives the cost of an ophthalmology site: the number of subspecialty pages, surgeon photography and video, integrations (referral forms, scheduler links, patient portals), multiple locations, and ongoing content.

How Medfy rebuilds an ophthalmology site

Medfy rebuilds your current website and hosts it on your own domain as part of its $349/month plan:

• A page per service: each procedure, lens option and condition, organized by subspecialty.
• Structured data for the practice and your surgeons.
• HIPAA-compliant forms, including referral forms for optometrists, with submissions stored in separate, encrypted HIPAA databases in the US or Canada, and a BAA signed with your practice.
• 500 AI credits a month for edits in plain English, such as "add Dr. Chen's new glaucoma clinic hours".
• Weekly articles drafted from MedlinePlus and PubMed for your approval, AI visibility tracking and first-party analytics for calls, forms, bookings and directions.

Medfy doesn't certify WCAG or ADA accessibility. You can see a free preview of your rebuilt website before paying. Start with a free audit of your current site, compare plans on our pricing page, or read the wider ophthalmology marketing guide.

Frequently asked questions

What should an ophthalmology practice website include?

A page per procedure and condition, grouped by subspecialty: cataract and lens options, refractive surgery, glaucoma, retina and cornea. Add surgeon profiles with training and sourced statements, cost pages explaining Medicare coverage and elective pricing, a referring-doctor page with a HIPAA-compliant referral form, and readable design with large text and high contrast for older patients and their families.

Should we publish surgery prices on our website?

For elective procedures, usually yes, because cost is what patients search most. Publish LASIK pricing with its conditions: whether it's per eye, what most patients pay, and what qualifies someone for an advertised price, as the FTC required in its 2023 LasikPlus order. For cataract surgery, explain what Medicare covers and what premium lenses add, then give individual estimates in writing.

How can referring optometrists send patients through our website?

Give them a dedicated page with a secure online referral form, plus fax and phone options. List the records you need, how quickly routine and urgent cases are seen, and when consult letters and surgical reports go back. The form collects patient information, so it must be HIPAA-compliant, encrypted and covered by a BAA with whoever hosts it.