Refractive surgery, to correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism can damage healthy eyes and make eyes with pre-existing diseases worse. Refractive surgery was promoted as a path to “happiness”, an amorphous benefit that cannot last. Virtually all refractive patients suffer quality of vision losses. Approximately 20% of patients are harmed in one or both eyes at the time of surgery, and many other patients develop problems in the short and long-term. 50% of patients require vision correction, within five years after surgery. Expensive contacts may become necessary because glasses no longer provide clear vision, and contact lenses can be uncomfortable and/or difficult to handle as the patient ages. “Happiness” fades as vision deteriorates, and aging eyes and refractive surgery become incompatible.

Refractive surgery is a point of no return, which many patients will come to think of as one of the worst decisions of their life. If you do not see well in glasses, refractive surgery will only make it worse. If you want to see the clock at night, buy a projection clock with large numbers on the ceiling! If you do not like your glasses—buy more expensive glasses! Refractive surgery can cause devastating complications, in the short term, and even decades after the original surgery—it can be an origin of eye diseases.