A customized surgical profile is validated for execution on a surgical system. In some aspects, a customized ophthalmic surgical profile, which includes a surgical pattern and at least one parameter associated with the surgical pattern, is obtained. A pattern definition file executable by a laser-based ophthalmic surgical system is generated based on the customized ophthalmic surgical profile. Execution of the customized ophthalmic surgical profile on the laser-based ophthalmic surgical system is simulated based on the pattern definition file, and the pattern definition file is validated based on an output of the simulation.