How dangerous is LASIK?

Chief Surgeon, Dr. J. Trevor Woodhams, answers this frequently asked question from Quora.com

I suppose we need to ask “compared to what?” For all but the most extremely nearsighted, it is hard to beat simple glasses from a strictly safety point of view. Surprisingly, though, LASIK actually has a slight edge in safety over long-term contact lens wear. This is because with the latter, there is an ongoing risk of things like infection, although this is fortunately exceedingly rare.

With proper patient selection, the latest diagnostic and laser equipment, and a highly experienced surgeon, LASIK is extremely safe and effective. But that is not the same as saying it is essentially risk-free!

All surgery carries with it a risk of things going wrong despite the best execution and post-op care. Probably the most uncommon undesirable side-effect is decreased tearing, although this typically gets better with time. There is a highly rare (but not zero) possibility of prolonged eye pain from abnormal nerve re-growth and distorted visual side-effects, such as seeing “ghost images.”

 The decision about having LASIK and where to have it done should not be taken lightly - you will likely live with the outcome for many years to come.