Can people with chronic dry eyes get a laser eye surgery? What’s your experience?

In general, people with pre-existing dry eye problems should avoid laser vision correction such as LASIK. That is because every single patient who has it done will experience at least a transient further decrease in tear production afterwards. This is due to the unavoidable damage to sensory nerves in the cornea from the laser re-shaping. The lacrimal glands themselves are unaffected, but they are getting a muted signal as to how much dryness is present in the cornea so are not fully responding to the need . Fortunately, the nerves do regenerate but it is estimated that it takes as long as a year or two for this to finish.

_Written by J. Trevor Woodhams, M.D. - Chief of Surgery, Woodhams Eye Clinic