Doctors perform laser eye surgery to treat eye conditions and diseases. Some people, however, elect to have laser eye surgery in order to correct their vision, which may help reduce the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Regardless of why a person has the procedure, laser eye surgery does not come without risks and complications. Anyone considering a procedure should understand all possible complications before proceeding with laser eye surgery.
Dry Eye
Lasik, one of the most common vision-correction laser eye surgeries, often causes problems with dry eye. Symptoms may include burning, grittiness, blurry vision and excessive tearing. Some people who experience symptoms have a gradual improvement over time. However, dry eye syndrome may permanently affect others, states the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Though dry eye syndrome does not have a cure, eye doctors recommend artificial tears to treat the symptoms. Over-the-counter eyedrops do not contain medication but may offer relief from surface irritation and blurring. If artificial tears do not improve the symptoms, the doctor may recommend a prescription eyedrop to increase tear production. He may also recommend inserting small plugs to close the tear ducts to encourage tears to remain in the eye longer.
Other types of laser eye procedures may involve the doctor placing a small lens against the eye's surface to help direct the laser. In such cases, some people experience eye dryness for a short time after the procedure, though the symptoms do not typically last more than a few days.
Increased Eye Pressure
Some laser procedures may cause an increase of the pressure in the eye. After cataract surgery, some people have a clouding of the thin capsule that holds the new lens inside the eye. Doctors use a YAG laser to clear the clouding and improve vision. However, this procedure may result in increased eye pressure. Though the procedure lasts only a few minutes and requires no anesthesia, a doctor may recommend that a patient remain in the office for an hour or more so that she can check the pressure. If the pressure increases, the doctor may put an eyedrop in the eye to bring the pressure back down. In most people, the pressure increase is not long-term, reports Kaiser Permanente.
Vision
Laser eye surgeries aimed at improving vision may result in loss of vision. Prior to procedures, the eye doctor will take measurements of the eye. If the measurements have any inaccuracies, or if the doctor calculates them incorrectly, the procedure may result in a greater dependence on an eyeglass prescription, thus having the opposite effect. Some people have severe complications, resulting in vision loss that eyeglasses cannot correct, explains the FDA. Some lasers also may cause significant problems with glare, particularly when driving at night.
