I suffer from dry eye syndrome. Will it stop me having laser eye treatment?

Published on 3rd August 2012

A lot of people experience dry eye symptoms. Most of these symptoms are due to the environment we are in, for example; air conditioned rooms, centrally heated rooms, dry atmosphere like on an airplane etc.

Even spending too much time on a computer can make your eyes dry as you blink 50% less than you would normally do. However, the important thing to establish is whether your dry eye is actually a chronic medical issue as opposed to an occasional irritation like one the above.

Our eyes naturally become dryer the older we get, so it is much more common for someone in their 50's to complain about dry eyes than say someone in their 20's.

We always ask the question in relation to dry eyes / dry eye symptoms at your assessment and consultation so if this is of concern to you, ensure that you raise this issue with your ophthalmologist so he can perform the necessary tests and advise you accordingly.

It is normal that patients experience some degree of dry, gritty sensation after their procedure and we provide you with artificial tear eye drops to help these symptoms. In almost all cases, after several weeks of perhaps a couple of months, the symptoms of dry eyes are no longer noticeable as your eyes have healed and your tear film returns to its normal condition.

All eye surgical procedures carry a level of risk including not obtaining the desired outcome, through to varying levels of visual loss. Your eye surgeon will discuss the risks and benefits, including ones specific to your circumstances, at the time of your pre-operative consultation.