How does identifying patients prone to dry eyes improve LASIK results and patient satisfaction?

Doctor's Answers 1

Dry eyes can span a spectrum from mild to severe and can affect the eyes in many different ways. In the mildest cases, there is really no difference with any other person who undergoes LASIK surgery.

In drier eyes, it is possible after LASIK surgery for eye discomfort/redness to occur, as well as visual blurring, if the dry eye issue is not addressed.

In other words, identifying patients prone to dry eyes improve LASIK results and patient satisfaction by

  1. Allowing the dry eye issue to be treated before LASIK is performed. This also involves addressing any contributing factors such as the use of certain medications that dry the eyes
  2. This may allow more accurate measurements of spectacle power, and thus provide better refractive outcomes after LASIK
  3. Treating the dry eye problem pre-operatively reduces the risk of post-operative dry eye complications
  4. In some cases, patients may be advised to consider other types of refractive surgery such as epiLASIK/PRK, or even not to have refractive surgery at all if the dry eye condition is severe enough

Similar Questions

Should I delay LASIK if I suffer from symptomatic dry eyes and Epithelial Keratopathy?

When there are symptoms suggestive of any potential eye disease, I would recommend addressing the underlying problems first before embarking on any form of surgery, refractive surgery included. Complaints such those you described are suggestive of dry eye and refractive error instability which would warrant caution prior to making any decision for surgery. Should you have any concerns, it would be perfectly appropriate for you to raise them with your surgeon. Work closely with a trusted surgeon to decide on the best course forward. Otherwise, a second opinion could help allay your worries.

How does LASIK cause dry eyes?

During a LASIK operation, a thin superficial layer of cornea is created and temporarily peeled back to allow laser treatment of the underlying tissue. This is called the ‘lasik flap’, and is what provides the quick and painless recovery after LASIK. Some nerve endings that go into the flap are ‘disconnected’ at the time, and this reduces the feedback that our tear glands get that stimulate tear production.

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