Can LASIK cause dry eyes?
Dryness is a recognised side effect of LASIK, particularly in the early months, because the procedure affects the corneal nerves that contribute to tear production. It usually improves as the surface heals.
- Subject
- Eye conditions
- Topic
- Dry eye
- Kind of question
- Can I…
- Procedures
- LASIK
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
Pre-existing dryness is the main reason this becomes a bigger problem for some people than others, which is why the ocular surface is measured before surgery rather than after.
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It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Eye conditions & diseases in Dry eye . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
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- Procedure LASIK
- Procedure Femto LASIK
- Comparison LASIK vs SMILE
- Comparison LASIK vs PRK
- Place LASIK in Dubai
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- Post-LASIK dry eye disease: A comprehensive review of the current literature
A review of dry eye after LASIK, including the mechanisms involved and how other procedures compare in the published literature.
Used for Balanced comparison of dry-eye risk between procedures.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Refractive surgery and dry eye: an update
An update on how different refractive procedures affect the ocular surface, with attention to preoperative screening for dry eye.
Used for Why tear film assessment belongs in preoperative screening.
Link checked 22 September 2026