“My eyes feel very dry after LASIK. Why could this be?”
I underwent LASIK surgery 10 days ago. However, since the surgery, although I have recovered well, my eyes feel exceptionally dry. What could be the reason behind this? Are there any medications that can help me maintain the moisture in my eyes? Should I go back to my eye doctor?
12 Answers
Post-LASIK dry eye is common. Treatment includes: artificial tears or lubricating drops during the day. If symptoms persist or worsen you should visit your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Dryness is a common side effect usually improves over a 4-6 week period
LASIK often causes people to have some transient worsening of dry eye symptoms. See your eye doctor, and in the meantime use preservative-free lubricant eye drops frequently (at least four times daily). You cannot over-lubricate the eye! Lubricating it with high quality preservative-free drops improves the health of the cornea.
Of course you should return to your LASIK surgeon about your discomfort.
It is not uncommon for dry eyes to occur after LASIK surgery as corneal nerves that innervate at the limball periphery enter the cornea at each side. These nerves commonly get cut during LASIK and need to regrow.
Usually they do so after a month or so but sometimes it takes years and occasionally they don’t re innervate.
It will be up to the LASIK or corneal surgeon to tell you what to do next. Artificial Tears might be best for you during the day and a gel or ointment at bedtime to get through the night.
Roger Ohanesian MD
It is not uncommon for dry eyes to occur after LASIK surgery as corneal nerves that innervate at the limball periphery enter the cornea at each side. These nerves commonly get cut during LASIK and need to regrow.
Usually they do so after a month or so but sometimes it takes years and occasionally they don’t re innervate.
It will be up to the LASIK or corneal surgeon to tell you what to do next. Artificial Tears might be best for you during the day and a gel or ointment at bedtime to get through the night.
Roger Ohanesian MD
LASIK causes decreased sensitivity of the cornea due to the cut that is created to perform the treatment. This can cause dryness because it changes the ability for the body to respond to the dry eye and create more natural tears or blink to redistribute the tears. This can improve as the eyes heal, but should be taken seriously and treated with frequent preservative free artificial tears to help prevent an abrasion or infection. You should return to your eye doctor to assess if you need further treatment with prescription eye drops.
Shilpi Pradhan
Ophthalmologist
Thanks for your question. Lasik can cause dry eyes as the procedure creates a corneal flap which can disturb the corneal nerve and the feedback loop to make more tears. You should go back to your eye doctor and discuss options for treatment.
This is actually not uncommon after LASIK. LASIK surgery can definitely cause the worsening of any pre-existing dry eye condition, and even cause symptoms in patients who previously were asymptomatic. That is why all of my LASIK patients get evaluated for dry eyes preoperatively.
When the LASIK flap is created, some corneal nerves are severed, and until there is some re-innervation, you can have dry eye symptoms. This mostly manifests as fluctuating vision, but you can also have discomfort. I would use liberal preservative free artificial tears and if that’s not giving you improvement, I would certainly see your surgeon.
Stephen M. Hamilton, MD
www.eyeconsultants.net
When the LASIK flap is created, some corneal nerves are severed, and until there is some re-innervation, you can have dry eye symptoms. This mostly manifests as fluctuating vision, but you can also have discomfort. I would use liberal preservative free artificial tears and if that’s not giving you improvement, I would certainly see your surgeon.
Stephen M. Hamilton, MD
www.eyeconsultants.net
Lasik makes the eyes dryer because when we cut the lasik flap, we are cutting across corneal nerves which desensitize the eyes making them dry. In most patients by 6 months after, they are back to baseline, but some have persistent dryness. Artificial tears can help. Also, there are medicated drops i.e. restasis and xiidra that you need prescription for. If over the counter tears don’t help, you need to see an eye doctor.
Lasik is associated with dry eyes as the laser and cutting of the flap cuts the corneal nerves and makes your eyes less sensitive to dryness. Hence, use lubricants and artificial tears liberally till your nerves regrow after 6 to 12 months.
Dry eyes are very common after LASIK and patients with significant dry eye may be advised to have PRK instead of LASIK for that reason. In most cases, the eyes return to their baseline from before surgery but that can take several weeks to months depending on the patient: younger men more quickly, older women more slowly, everyone else in between.
If you are only 10 days out, I would not be overly concerned. You should be using frequent preservative-free artificial tears. And you should be asking your surgeon for recommendations specific to your situation. He or she knows your eyes a lot better than I do!
If you are only 10 days out, I would not be overly concerned. You should be using frequent preservative-free artificial tears. And you should be asking your surgeon for recommendations specific to your situation. He or she knows your eyes a lot better than I do!
Dry eyes are a common side effect of LASIK surgery but they do go away. For the first couple of weeks up to a few months depending on the healing period, I recommend using eye drops as much as possible. Also, try eating omega-3 fatty acids and lots of water.
The effect of creating a lasik flap creates dryness because you are “cutting” through corneal nerves. This is usually a transient problem following most lasik cases. I would check up with your surgeon; they can help with management options.
