The present disclosure provides a system and method for indirectly determining weight on eye, the weight resulting from contact between the eye and a docking apparatus for laser ophthalmic surgery. The system includes a docking apparatus, a measuring device, a display and a processor that determines a relative distance between a detectable position of a component of the docking apparatus and a neutral position of the eye, determines the weight on eye by reference to sensed force-distance reference data, and generates and transmits a pictorial representation of weight on eye to a display. The disclosure further provides a method for indirectly determining weight on eye, the weight resulting from contact between the eye and a docking apparatus for laser ophthalmic surgery.