What Are the Potential Side Effects of Laser Surgery?

Due to heavy academic workload, excessive eye use, and frequent exposure to electronic devices, more and more people are developing myopia. Laser surgery can be an option to restore vision, but it can also come with certain side effects, such as dry eye syndrome, glare, wound infection, discomfort with glasses, and regression of vision.

Dry eye syndrome occurs primarily because the corneal cells have not fully recovered after the surgery. Depending on the age and corneal condition of each individual, tear secretion usually returns to normal levels within 3 to 6 months postoperatively, and symptoms of dry eye syndrome will subsequently disappear.

The occurrence of glare is relatively low, but like dry eye syndrome, it can return to preoperative normal levels after a certain recovery period. With technological advancements, the incidence of this symptom is gradually decreasing.

The most common potential complication of the surgery is wound infection, which can occur if the eye becomes contaminated with water during the recovery period. It is important to take precautions and communicate regularly with the doctor to prevent this.

After the surgery, it is recommended to rest for a few minutes. If there are no significant discomforts, you can go home. Postoperatively, you may experience symptoms such as eye pain, photophobia, and tearing. These are normal reactions after the surgery. By resting more and reducing blinking, these symptoms will gradually improve or disappear.

To ensure optimal surgical results, it is recommended to maintain a bland diet, avoid smoking and alcohol, and ensure adequate sleep to promote eye recovery for the first month postoperatively.

When considering vision regression, it is important to take into account whether there are any poor eye habits after the surgery, such as prolonged exposure to screens. Even eyes that have never been myopic can develop the risk of myopia with intense eye use. Laser surgery for myopia is a permanent procedure that restores vision permanently. If myopia recurs postoperatively, it is not due to regression of the surgical effect but rather due to the eye developing myopia again. Therefore, even after surgery, it is crucial to protect the eyes properly.