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Disclaimer

This website is only for basic information. It is not to be considered medical advice or a substitute for obtaining your own medical consultation, during which you will be informed also about possible risks, side effects and restrictions of refractive & cataract surgery. Not all treatment options are approved or offered in every country and approved labeling and instructions may vary from one country to another. This site is also not intended for patients and healthcare providers residing in the United States of America and Japan.

Is LASIK safe?

Possible complications and side effects

Before your LASIK procedure, your surgeon will perform comprehensive medical checks to establish your overall health and the condition of your eyes. They will then be able to recommend the right procedure for you to achieve your goal of reducing or eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses.
However, as with all medical procedures, LASIK laser vision correction may result in certain complications and side effects. If you recognise any of the following conditions post-surgery, you should contact your eye doctor immediately. They will then be able to advise you further.

Man wearing glasses by a river during sunset, reflecting potential residual vision problems such as glare, halos, or double vision following LASIK surgery.

Possible complications after surgery

The majority of patients report improved eyesight after a LASIK treatment. However, not everyone experiences fully restored eyesight. Your surgeon may not be able to correct some residual refractive errors using LASIK. As a result, you may still need to wear glasses or contact lenses in certain circumstances.

After surgery, you might see glare and halos around lights, particularly at night, or your vision could appear hazy, especially if you were previously severely near-sighted. And in rare cases after surgery, you could experience diplopia – also known as double vision – where you experience ghosting or have trouble focusing on a single object.

If you encounter any of these vision problems, you should contact your eye doctor.

Woman resting with eyes closed and hand on her forehead, suggesting temporary discomfort like dry eyes or sensitivity after LASIK surgery.

LASIK laser vision correction side effects

One of the most common side effects after laser vision correction is dry and scratchy eyes. If you have a history of dry eyes, it is important to tell your eye doctor during the initial consultation, as they can test whether LASIK is suitable for you.
As a result of the surgery, your eyes may not be able to produce enough tears. This results in discomfort, itching and sometimes visual fluctuations. Dry eyes are commonly treated with artificial tears or eye drops and, in most cases, patients report these conditions eventually improve after three to six months. However, if you notice redness, pain or impaired vision, you should consult your doctor immediately as there may be a chance your eye is infected. If diagnosed at an early stage, eye infections can be treated and cured with prescription eye drops. If not treated properly, infections can cause serious damage to your eye.

Close-up of a man's face looking upward, emphasizing his eyes and clear vision following LASIK surgery.

Medical risks associated with LASIK

Corneal ectasia
Corneal ectasia is a collection of conditions which thin the cornea. These include keratoconus, keratoglobus, pellucid marginal degeneration and Terrien’s marginal degeneration. As a result, the inner layers of the cornea weaken and the eye bulges forward. These conditions can appear any time after a LASIK surgery, including years later. To restore your vision, you may need to wear glasses or contact lenses. In extreme cases, a corneal transplant may be necessary. Therefore, always get your eyes checked by an eye doctor when you notice changes in your vision. Your doctor will determine during the consultation if your cornea has the right thickness to avoid the risk of corneal ectasia as much as possible.

Flap-related complications
Unlike the lenticule extraction procedure with ZEISS SMILE, LASIK involves creating a flap in the cornea. After surgery, flap-related complications could occur, including infection, inflammation and dislocation of the flap. Always see an eye doctor if you experience any of these complications.

Woman smiling peacefully in a living room setting, reflecting visual independence and comfort post-ZEIS SMILE surgery.

ZEISS SMILE: A flapless alternative to LASIK

Find a clinic near you

If you are looking for a flapless procedure to correct your vision, lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE might be an alternative for you. ZEISS SMILE enables the fast recovery associated with minimally invasive refractive procedures. Consult your eye doctor to see if ZEISS SMILE is suitable for you. Use our clinic finder to look for a clinic offering ZEISS SMILE near you.

Find a clinic near you

Frequently asked questions

  • It is important to follow your ophthalmic surgeon’s advice both before and after the laser eye operation. Always take any medication and use eye drops as directed. While it is impossible to say you will not suffer from any side effects, following your surgeon’s instructions will help minimise any potential complications. Some patients, however, will still feel some mild discomfort (like scratching, tearing, or burning sensations) even if they follow all the instructions given.

  • While the reason to get laser vision correction is to reduce your dependence on glasses, you may still need them for certain activities such as reading. If you suffer from severe myopia (nearsightedness), LASIK may not be able to fully correct your prescription and, as a result, you may have problems viewing objects at a distance. What’s more, everyone eventually develops a condition called presbyopia. This occurs when your eyes gradually lose the ability to see things clearly up close and is a normal part of aging. Laser vision correction cannot stop this process, nor does it speed it up. If you start having problems focusing on nearby objects, you should discuss your options with your eye doctor. They may suggest the monovision procedure or simply wearing reading glasses.

  • Post-surgery, you may experience glare from headlights or halos around streetlights when driving at night. These are common side effects, and you may wish to avoid driving for a few days until the symptoms subside.

  • Yes. Lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small incision of ~ 4 mm to correct your vision. And, as no flap is created during the operation, there is no risk of flap-related complications. Find out more about ZEISS SMILE here and consult your optician, optometrist, or ophthalmologist to see if it is the right choice for you.

    Find out more about ZEISS SMILE here
  • Go to our FAQ page 

Clinic Finder

Your eye doctor can help you find the best treatment option for your specific eye condition.
Find a clinic near you

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    Explore other options of laser vision correction and how they differ in technique, treatment approach or recovery time. Your eye doctor can help determine the best option for you.

  • 1

    Approved and available in selected markets.
  • 2

    Data on file (unpublished). Myopia with optical zone of 6.5 mm.
  • 3

    Data on file (unpublished). The whole procedure including extracting the lenticule lasts about 5 to 10 minutes per eye.