Dry Eyes and Lasik Eye Surgery- Dry Eye After Lasik

Lasik is a laser eye operation that is done to rectify blurred vision that occurs due to refractive errors. Lasik has become a very popular surgery to treat eyesight related problems. People having farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism (abnormal shape of the cornea) are treated with this surgery. This vision correction treatment is a very effective way of treating eye problems and people who are treated by this method do not have to remain dependent on glasses or contact lenses.

Lasik and Dry Eyes
Lasik eye surgery is an operation performed by an eye surgeon, only after doing a thorough medical checkup of the patient. This operation can be conduced only on people who are above 18 years of age. Before performing the operation, the surgeon applies eye drops that help in anesthetizing the eye. After this, a flap or opening is created on the upper layer of the eye. Though this opening, the surgeon corrects the cornea with the help of laser and then covers the opening by closing the flap. This is a painless method which gives the person clear vision almost immediately. However, it takes at least six months for a person to recover fully. During this recovery period, there are chances of the patient getting affected by dry eyes.

The human eye produces two types of tears, one that is shed when we experience some emotion and the other that is produced constantly, to keep the eye moist and lubricated. These tears consist of three things, including water, oils and mucus. It also contains antibodies and proteins, which see to it that the eye does not get infected. However, sometimes, the tear glands do not produce sufficient tears to lubricate the eyes. This causes a condition called keratoconjunctivitis sicca, commonly known as dry eyes.

What is Dry Eye with Lasik?
Dry eye syndrome is said to be the most common side effect of Lasik surgery. People who already have the problem of dry eyes before the surgery may find an increase in it after Lasik treatment. The doctor usually does a check up to find out whether a person has dry eye syndrome before conducting the surgery. If the tests are positive, appropriate treatment is given so that the condition does not aggravate after the surgery. However, even people who do not have the problem of dry eyes, develop this condition after Lasik.

The reason for dry eyes after Lasik surgery is because of the damage of corneal nerves during the operation. It is the corneal nerves that send a message to the tear glands for producing tears. The scarring of these nerves leads to decreased production of tears, causing dry eyes. However, this damage is not a permanent one and normally goes away within six months of the operation.

Dry Eye after Lasik
The recovery period after Lasik can be a difficult time for a patient having dry eyes but the discomfort caused by dry eye syndrome can be lessened by taking extra care. Sometimes, lack of adequate water in the body can trigger the condition of dry eyes. So, it is very important for a person to always remain hydrated by drinking plenty of water after the surgery. One should also avoid extreme climatic conditions like extreme heat or extreme cold. Such conditions are likely to give rise to dry eyes.

The usual treatment that doctors give to patients with dry eyes after Lasik is administering artificial tears in the eyes. These are a substitute to natural tears which help in lubricating the eyes and keeping them wet. If the dry eye syndrome persists even after the recovery period, the physician may recommend some other medical treatments to cure dry eyes. But usually dry eye after lasik is a temporary phenomenon.