Can laser eye surgery fix nerve damage?

Are you curious about whether laser eye surgery can fix nerve damage in your eyes? In this blog post, we’ll explore whether it is feasible to fix nerve damage with LASIK.

What is LASIK and how can it improve nerve damage?

LASIK is a surgical procedure that improves your vision by reshaping the front part of your eye, known as the cornea. This reshaping process affects the sensitivity of the corneal nerves. LASIK surgery does not damage the optic nerve, which is responsible for carrying signals to the brain, and therefore cannot fix any damage caused to it.

When it comes to nerve damage outside the optic nerve, the answer is more complicated. LASIK surgery can indirectly improve certain aspects of chronic dry eye disease¹https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1186/s12990-015-0020-7 that are caused by peripheral nerve damage. After LASIK surgery, some people’s eyes may produce fewer tears, itself causing irritation and discomfort. However, LASIK surgery may inactivate an underlying trigger of dry eye disease called neurotrophic keratitis.

LASIK may also help relieve the symptoms of certain types of migraine headaches by inactivating the trigger but will not stop them permanently or be considered a treatment option for migraines. For some people, LASIK has resulted in increased sensitivity to light, which can also be considered nerve damage.

Circumstances where LASIK is not suitable

LASIK is not designed to treat secondary nerve damage that may affect your vision. If your nerve damage is caused by a systemic underlying condition such as multiple sclerosis or diabetes²https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3959036/. It is unlikely that LASIK will be an effective treatment option.

While LASIK continues to evolve, it is a valuable option if you have vision impairments. Book a free assessment with us to find out more about LASIK surgery.