Lasik and Dry Eyes: Here’s What You Need to Know
Highlights:
Dry Eye Syndrome is a serious and growing problem across America.
95% of patients experience dry eyes immediately following LASIK surgery.
Dry eye symptoms often fade within a few months of the surgery, but can be permanent for some patients.
Our daily screen time consumption is a major compounding factor that increases the likelihood that dry eyes will be a protracted problem for LASIK patients.
Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA) is a safer alternative, with patients far less likely to experience chronic dry eye symptoms.
Almost a million people get corrective laser eye surgery every year and – at least for now – the majority of them get LASIK. But a growing body of research and reporting raises concerns about LASIK’s troubling clinical relationship with dry eye syndrome.
Just how common are dry eyes caused by LASIK?
95% of patients experience dry eyes immediately after LASIK surgery, and about 40% experience dry eyes for more than six months. This figure, cited in a 2011 NIH review and a 2018 Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science Journal article, very likely underestimates today’s reality due to our dramatic increase in screen viewing – and digital eye strain, by extension – since the pandemic.
Cases of dry eye syndrome are undoubtedly on the rise both at my practice and nationally. And one need look no further than Google Trends (highlighted with the chart above) to understand the scale of the problem. Put plainly, it’s possible that more people are suffering from dry eye symptoms than ever before in modern history.
Most people with dry eye syndrome experience mild, treatable symptoms. In other cases, though, it can dramatically impact one’s quality of life in deep and persistent ways. In the most serious documented cases, severe dry eyes can also lead to significant mental health challenges. And it is difficult to predict who will have the highest risk of these negative side effects prior to getting LASIK.
Bottom line – it is prudent to take an in-depth look at this problem before you decide to get LASIK.
Why LASIK can cause Dry Eyes
Dry eyes often happen after LASIK for one main reason: it involves cutting a flap of the outermost layer of the cornea. Here’s why the creation of that flap leads to dry eyes:
Nerve damage: LASIK severs corneal nerves. When the eye heals, the tear film might be unevenly distributed across the surface of the eye.
Less blinking: Studies show that LASIK patients blink every 5-10 seconds on average pre-op vs. every 10-15 seconds after LASIK.
Reduced tear production: When the cornea is cut, the nerve damage can impair tear production, resulting in less natural lubrication in the eyes.
Symptoms of Dry Eye Syndrome
Eye fatigue
Blurred vision
Red eyes
Sore or itchy eyes
Burning sensation in the eyes
Too few or too many tears
Excess mucus in and around the eyes
Discomfort or pain when in wind or near a fan
You can treat dry eye symptoms with eye drops, artificial tears, ointments, prescription anti-inflammatory medications, as well as punctal plugs. Drinking more water, less caffeine and alcohol which dehydrate you, using a humidifier, and limiting exposure to sun and wind may also help relieve symptoms.
Who is more likely to have dry eyes after LASIK?
Dry eyes can affect anyone after LASIK surgery, but some patients are more likely than others to develop it.
Here are some of the main risk factors:
Serious nearsightedness before LASIK
Those who experience dry eyes before LASIK
Those taking certain medications, such as blood pressure meds, antidepressants, and antihistamines
Those who live in dry climates
Being 50 years or older
Women who are menopausal due to hormonal changes
Those with diabetes due to higher risk of decreased sensation in the cornea
Why is LASIK so popular (especially if patients are getting dry eyes)?
LASIK has been the most popular eye surgery since the late 1990s. It’s a profitable business, especially for large-scale LASIK centers. Many people rush into LASIK without exploring alternatives because it has the shortest recovery period and requires the least planning.
Secondly, there just isn’t enough data on the long-term effects of LASIK – especially with studies conducted in the past 5-10 years – to block out the LASIK industry’s massive marketing and business apparatus.
The FDA’s last landmark study about LASIK found that up to 46 percent of participants, who had no visual symptoms before surgery, reported at least one visual symptom at three months after surgery. But again – this study dates back to 2009, light years ago in terms of how much our daily lives have changed (specifically our relationship with smartphones and other digital devices).
Thankfully, more and more research is coming out about the link between LASIK and dry eyes (along with other complications).
The best alternative to LASIK
I have good news for anyone reading who desperately wants laser eye surgery but is rightfully concerned about the clear and growing link between LASIK and Dry Eyes.
There is a safe and effective alternative to LASIK called Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA) surgery, which does NOT cut into the cornea at all. Because your cornea is left fully intact, there’s no risk of flap-related complications of dry eyes, halos, starbursts, and ghosting.
ASA patients rarely experience dry eyes because the corneal nerves aren’t cut, and it’s a much safer eye surgery with better outcomes.
Let’s talk about laser eye surgery and preventing dry eyes
I invite you to investigate ASA surgery with me at Moskowitz Eye Care. Because while LASIK brings great benefits with some very real risks, ASA brings those same benefits with fewer risks.
Each patient is treated like family here and I manage every aspect of your care from pre-op consultations to the surgery and post-op. Don’t just take my word for it. Read testimonials from my previous ASA patients!
If you live in the New York City or Tri-State area, you can get started by setting up a free consultation.
Considering LASIK?
Give me a chance to talk you out of it. I performed LASIK for years before permanently switching to a safer and more effective alternative.