Dry Eye After LASIK
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Noticed Your Eyes Are Dry After You Received LASIK?
Many people with refractive errors such as nearsightedness choose LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) because it is safe, effective, and offers long-lasting vision correction. However, dry eyes are an extremely common after-effect. Studies show that up to 95 percent of patients experience some level of dryness following the procedure.
Dry eye symptoms are also the number one reason patients report dissatisfaction after LASIK. For most, these symptoms appear during the early postoperative period and gradually improve. But for some individuals, LASIK can trigger chronic or severe dry eye syndrome (DES), which may continue long-term and significantly affect daily comfort and quality of life.
What Is Dry Eye Syndrome (DES)?
Dry eye syndrome is a multifactorial condition defined by a chronic lack of proper lubrication on the surface of the eye. It can develop for many reasons, including poor tear quality, reduced tear production, environmental irritants, pollution, or allergies.
Common symptoms of DES may include:
• Redness
• A persistent feeling of dryness or irritation
• Grittiness, as if something is stuck in the eye
• Eye fatigue
• Blurred or fluctuating vision
• Excessive tearing
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
To learn more about dry eye syndrome and its causes, visit our main Dry Eye page.
How Can LASIK Lead To Dry Eye?
During LASIK, some of the corneal nerves responsible for signaling dryness to the brain are intentionally disrupted. When these nerves are temporarily reduced in sensitivity, the eye may not recognize the need for lubrication. As a result, tear production often decreases, which is one of the primary causes of post-LASIK dry eye syndrome.
Today, LASIK surgeons understand that a stable and healthy tear film is essential for proper healing and optimal visual outcomes. For this reason, they perform thorough pre-operative screenings to identify any existing dry eye issues and determine whether they could affect the success of the procedure.
What Are Risk Factors For Post-LASIK Dry Eye?
The following conditions increase a person’s risk of developing DES
after undergoing LASIK surgery:
- Having a high degree of myopia
- Being above the age of 50
- Female, especially peri and post-menopausal
- Having an autoimmune disease, such as Sjorgen’s syndrome
- Living in a dry climate
How We Can Help Manage Your Symptoms
If you’ve undergone LASIK or are considering it for the future, know that we are here to help treat your DES symptoms, should
any arise? At Dry Eye Center At Atkinson Eye Care, we provide dry eye relief to many patients who’ve had refractive surgeries and
have helped make the healing process more comfortable.
You don’t have to live with the discomfort of dry eye syndrome, speak with Our Eye Doctors about finding long-lasting relief.
Our practice serves patients from Algonquin, Chicagoland , Northwest Suburbs, and Rockford, Illinois and surrounding communities.
MEET OUR EYE CARE TEAM
With over 30 years of experience, our doctors and staff partner correct treatments with personable care.
Atkinson Eye Care provides innovative eye care services to patients from in and around Algonquin. We offer comprehensive eye health assessments, ocular disease diagnosis and treatment, contact lens evaluation and fitting, and prescriptions.
The team at Atkinson Eye Care aims to provide the best possible solution for the patient's eye health and vision needs. By utilizing the latest technologies and evidence-based treatments, we can ensure that each patient maintains optimal eye health. We welcome new patients and accept most major forms of insurance.