Lasik, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is a form of eye surgery used to correct astigmatism, farsightedness and nearsightedness. While most people undergoing Lasik surgery are pleased with the outcome, a small percentage of patients experience postoperative complications, side effects or poor vision correction. Some complaints related to Lasik eye surgery may necessitate continued use of glasses or contact lenses or a second Lasik procedure.
Dry Eye
Lasik eye surgery corrects vision by reshaping the clear cornea in front of the colored iris. An incision into the cornea creates a flap of tissue, which is moved aside while the laser reshapes the tissue beneath. The eye surgeon then replaces the corneal flap over the laser-treated tissue. The incision to create the corneal flap may damage the nerves in the cornea. This may decrease the nerves' capacity to sense eye dryness and trigger tear production.
Dry eye syndrome develops postoperatively in up to 50 percent of Lasik eye surgery patients, notes the website All About Vision. Common complaints with dry eye include scratchiness, blurry vision, contact lens intolerance and eye mucus. For many people with postoperative dry eye, symptoms slowly resolve after a period of three to six months, according to the National Eye Institute. In some cases, Lasik-induced dry eye syndrome can be permanent.
Continued Need for Glasses or Contacts
Many people undergo Lasik with the expectation that the surgery will completely correct all vision problems, which may not occur. Due to individual healing variability, surgery may result in overcorrection or undercorrection of vision, reports the Eye Surgery Education Council. Eyeglasses or contacts may be required to provide the additional vision correction needed. Alternatively, a second Lasik procedure may be advised.
Some people initially experience good visual correction that deteriorates over time. This complication, known as regression, most commonly occurs in people with severe nearsightedness prior to surgery. Possible treatments include corrective eyeglasses or contacts or a second Lasik procedure.
Presbyopia is an age-related change in the interior eye lens that typically develops in people in their 40s and 50s. Loss of lens elasticity makes it difficult to focus on near objects, causing problems with reading and close work. As a surface eye procedure, Lasik does not correct problems with the eye lens. Most people with presbyopia who undergo Lasik surgery continue to need eyeglasses for reading.
Light-Associated Visual Distortions
Lasik eye surgery may cause light-associated visual distortions, such as the appearance of starbursts, glare or halos around bright lights. These distortions resolve in most cases within three to six months after surgery, according to reports from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the International Society of Refractive Surgery. In some cases, however, these distortions are permanent and may interfere with nighttime driving and television or movie viewing.
