How long does dry eye last after LASIK?

Commonly it improves over the first several months as nerves recover. Dryness that persists beyond that window deserves testing, not more waiting.

Did LASIK cause permanent damage?

Usually not — but surgery can unmask gland disease that was quietly there before. Imaging the glands answers it.

Can I wear contacts over a LASIK cornea?

Yes, including scleral lenses, which are often the most comfortable option on a post-surgical surface.

Does dry eye after LASIK go away?

For most people, yes: symptoms peak in the first weeks and improve over six to twelve months as corneal nerves regrow. The FDA notes that for some patients it is severe or permanent, and those eyes need treatment: gland imaging, plugs, prescription anti-inflammatory drops and, for raw surfaces, scleral lenses.

How do you prevent dry eye after LASIK?

Treat it before surgery. FDA notes that LASIK tends to aggravate dry eye and asks doctors to screen candidates for it and for blepharitis (eyelid inflammation). So a pre-operative work-up and treatment, then preservative-free tears on a schedule and lid care through the healing months, give the surface a head start. See dry eye before eye surgery.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Bijan Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 24, 2026

Dry Eye After LASIK

The most common side effect of the surgery — usually temporary, occasionally not.

LASIK cuts through corneal nerves that tell your brain to blink and your glands to make tears. While those nerves regrow, the feedback loop runs quiet: fewer blinks, fewer tears, more burn. For most eyes it fades over months. For some it stays — and deserves a real plan.

Book appointmentOr call 310-828-2010 Accepted insurance

A man adjusting his sunglasses on a rocky coastline above the ocean

Why: Corneal nerves interrupted
Typical course: Improves over months
If it persists: Full tear-film work-up
Stubborn cases: Scleral lenses shield the surface

The plan

Support it early, investigate it late.

01
Early months
Preservative-free tears on a schedule (not “as needed”), night protection, and blink breaks during screen work carry most eyes through the regrowth window.
02
Not fading?
Past the expected window our eye doctors in Los Angeles work it up like any chronic dry eye: meibography, breakup time, staining — the surgery does not exempt the glands.
03
Treat what tests show
Gland disease gets IPL or OptiLIFT; low volume gets plugs; inflammation gets prescription drops.
04
The shield option
For post-LASIK surfaces that stay raw, a free-form scleral lens holds a saline reservoir against the cornea all day, combining comfort and optics in one device.

Also worth knowing

Blur after LASIK is not always dryness.

Fluctuating blur with burning usually is the tear film
Distortion, ghosting or progressive change needs corneal imaging
Post-LASIK ectasia is rare but real — we screen for it

Book a post-LASIK work-up

Common questions

Dry eye after LASIK, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

Commonly it improves over the first several months as nerves recover. Dryness that persists beyond that window deserves testing, not more waiting.
Usually not — but surgery can unmask gland disease that was quietly there before. Imaging the glands answers it.
Yes, including scleral lenses, which are often the most comfortable option on a post-surgical surface.
For most people, yes: symptoms peak in the first weeks and improve over six to twelve months as corneal nerves regrow. The FDA notes that for some patients it is severe or permanent, and those eyes need treatment: gland imaging, plugs, prescription anti-inflammatory drops and, for raw surfaces, scleral lenses.
Treat it before surgery. FDA notes that LASIK tends to aggravate dry eye and asks doctors to screen candidates for it and for blepharitis (eyelid inflammation). So a pre-operative work-up and treatment, then preservative-free tears on a schedule and lid care through the healing months, give the surface a head start. See dry eye before eye surgery.

Dry eye after LASIK near you

12222 Wilshire Blvd, on the Santa Monica border.

West Los Angeles Brentwood Santa Monica Westwood Beverly Hills Culver City Pacific Palisades West Hollywood Marina del Rey Newport Beach

Also consider

Next step

Months out and still burning?

Bring your surgical dates; the work-up tells us whether this is healing, glands, or something to image.

Book a work-up Or call 310-828-2010