LASIK Complications: How They Affect You and How They Are Treated

Complications	Symptoms	Treatments
Incomplete corrections (undercorrection, overcorrection, residual astigmatism) or regression of effect	Blurry, less-than-perfect vision	Glasses or contact lenses; eyedrops; re-treatment with laser
Decentered ablations	Visual aberrations*	Eyedrops; re-treatment with laser
Oversize pupils (pupils wider than treatment zone)	Visual aberrations*	Eyedrops; re-treatment with laser
Haze	Visual aberrations*	Eyedrops; re-treatment with laser
Irregular flap (folds, wrinkles, striae)	Visual aberrations*	Surgical correction; second laser procedure
Dry eye	Dry, itchy or scratchy eyes, often with redness and sense of foreign object in eye, and sometimes pain	Prescription dry eye medication; artificial tears; punctal occlusion (blockage of tear ducts in order to retain tear film on eye), oral flaxseed oil
Diffuse lamellar keratitis (eye inflammation)	Visual aberrations*	Eyedrops; surgical rinsing of cells
Epithelial ingrowth	Visual aberrations*	Surgical removal of epithelium
Infection	Redness, oozing of eyes, sometimes pain	Eyedrops; oral medications
*Visual aberrations include symptoms such as glare, double vision, ghosting, halos, starbursts, loss of contrast sensitivity, and problems with low-light or night vision. Not all patients experience all symptoms, and some patients with these complications experience no symptoms and require no treatment. Chart created by Keith Croes