Why are people with dry eyes not good candidates for lasik surgery?

Many pts have dry eyes after lasik, possibly due to cutting of the corneal nerves when making a flap.

If you have dry eyes already, then it could become more severe. Dry eyes don't sound so bad, but if its severe, it could be debilitating. Would you like to video or text chat with me?

LASIK surgery tends to make the eyes more dry.

If the eyes are already dry, surgery may result in significant dry eyes symptoms afterwards. Would you like to video or text chat with me?

After lasik surgery, dryness can worsen for a few month and slow visual recovery.

If dry eye are present preoperatively, it should be treated before surgery. Unless the dry eye is severe, most patients can be treated for the dryness and can proceed with lasik surgery. Would you like to video or text chat with me?

Lasik has known risk factors including causing or worsening dry eyes.

The creation of the flap as well as the laser process disrupts the normal corneal nerves which are part of the sensory pathway for the eye to sense dryness and make tears. After lasik the eyes cannot sense the dryness as well (for a short while) until the nerves grow back. In some patients, the nerves may not grow back well. Would you like to video or text chat with me?