Are there risks to laser eye surgery? Your questions answered

Written by:

Ophthalmologist

Published: 06/11/2019
Edited by: Nicholas Howley

Is laser eye surgery painful? What happens if I move my eyes? Can laser eye surgery cause blindness? Leading ophthalmologist Mr David Anderson answers your most common questions about the risks of laser eye surgery below.

What happens if I move my eyes or cough?

If you move your eyes, blink, or cough during surgery, this will not damage your eye. This is because most systems now involve eye-tracking lasers which will only work when your eyes are perfectly aligned. If you move your eyes, the treatment will immediately stop and will resume when they’re back in position.

In any case, some systems involve a laser which creates a slight vacuum. This vacuum helps to hold your eye in place and make the experience more comfortable.

In very rare instances we might need to modify your treatment if movement does occur – but this happens in less than 1% of cases of eye movement.

Is laser eye surgery painful?

No – laser eye surgery is not painful, but you’ll feel a bit of pressure during the operation. There are some minor side effects after the operation, such as a gritty sensation and light sensitivity, but these should last only 2-5 days. You’ll be given eye drops to help with these symptoms.

What are the risks?

Laser eye surgery has excellent results, with very small rates of complications. Less than 3% of patients develop severe dry eye, and only 1 in 10,000 patients develop an infection in the cornea. Finally, the risk of your eyesight worsening due to surgery is 2 in 1000. Even these patients will still have driving standard vision.

Can laser eye surgery cause health problems in the long term?

There is no evidence that laser eye surgery raises your risk of developing conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, it may affect how you treat problems such as cataracts if they develop naturally in later life.

Can laser eye surgery cause blindness?

The chances of laser surgery causing blindness are negligible. This is because the operation involves treating the surface of the eye rather than the inside of the eye. In rare cases (1 in 10,000), an infection can occur which may cause poor vision, but this can be corrected with a corneal transplant.