See Clearly After LASIK and Don’t Ignore Dry Eye Disease

The small detail that can shape your comfort and recovery

LASIK can be an exciting step toward clear vision without glasses or contact lenses. Before moving forward,
there is one important topic worth understanding together: Dry Eye Disease (DED). It is common and closely
linked to how comfortable your eyes feel throughout the LASIK journey.

So, What Exactly Is Dry Eye Disease?

Dry Eye Disease happens when your eyes do not produce enough quality tears to stay moist and protected.
Symptoms may include dryness, burning, blurry vision, or a gritty feeling. Many people only notice these when
preparing for eye surgery.

LASIK reshapes the cornea to improve vision. During the procedure, tiny corneal nerves involved in tear
production can be affected. After surgery, blinking may temporarily decrease, causing tears to evaporate faster
and leading to dryness during recovery.

Before surgery

• Get your eyes checked for dry eye symptoms
• Use preservative free lubricating or medicated eye drops if recommended
• Apply warm compresses and reduce screen time

During surgery

• Proper dry eye management helps improve surgical measurements
• Doctors may take extra steps to protect the eye surface

After surgery

• Use lubricating or prescribed eye drops to stay comfortable
• Attend follow up visits to monitor healing and dryness

LASIK is a journey toward clearer vision, and comfort matters just as much as the results. Want to understand
your eye health better before surgery? *Explore more eye health articles or visit an *ophthalmologist near you.
Healthy eyes start with the right care.

REFERENCE

• DOL Video Content
• Donaldson K, et al. Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery. 2021;48(5):623–629.
• Shein RM. Expert Review of Ophthalmology. 2011;6(5):575–582.
• Tamimi A, et al. Frontiers in Medicine. 2023;10:1057685