Dry Eye After Laser Eye Surgery

Some people may experience temporary dry eye symptoms after laser eye surgery.

Symptoms such as burning, stinging, a foreign-body sensation, increased eye fatigue towards the end of the day or occasional fluctuating vision may occur during the early stages of recovery. This process is a natural part of healing and may be accompanied by temporary dry eye symptoms in some people.

Not every patient has the same experience. Symptoms may be more noticeable in people who had a tendency towards dry eye before surgery, wore contact lenses for a long time or use screens extensively.

Different laser technologies used today may affect the ocular surface in different ways. Some studies have reported lower levels of dry eye symptoms after SMILE Pro. Nevertheless, preoperative ocular surface health remains important regardless of the technology used.

Dry eye symptoms often decrease noticeably over a period of weeks or months. Artificial tears and, when necessary, additional treatments may be used during this period.

Dry eye is not only a matter of comfort. A healthy ocular surface is important both for the accuracy of preoperative assessments and for the quality of vision achieved after surgery.

Assessment and, when necessary, treatment of the ocular surface are therefore important parts of the laser surgery process.