Ocular Evidence
Community experiences

What people report after refractive surgery

Search structured details from individual public forum accounts. These are anecdotes, not clinical evidence or estimates of how often an outcome occurs.

Read this layer differently from study results. Posts are self-reported, selectively shared and may be incomplete or inaccurate. We never combine them into complication, satisfaction or success rates.
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435 reviewed experiences

Only curator-approved records with a currently verified source appear here. No usernames or copied post bodies are published.

Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

LASIK experience · 2016

A first-person LASIK account at 6 months described the result. Reported acuity included 20/20, 20/15. Topics included dry eye, halos, starbursts, blur or fluctuating vision. The poster described a mixed result or a recovery with meaningful tradeoffs.

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentmixed
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 6 months · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/20, 20/15
6 months · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, halos, starbursts, blur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 6 months · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteSentiment unclear

LASIK experience · 2015

A first-person LASIK account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. Reported acuity included 20/20, 20/30, 20/40. Topics included dry eye. The source did not state a clear overall satisfaction judgment.

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentunclear
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/20, 20/30, 20/40
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

LASIK experience · 2015

A first-person LASIK account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. Reported acuity included 20/20, 20/15, 20/40, 20/30. Topics included dry eye, halos, starbursts, night-vision difficulty. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Age
27

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/20, 20/15, 20/40, 20/30
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, halos, starbursts, night-vision difficulty, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

LASIK experience · 2013

A first-person LASIK account at 2 years described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Reported acuity included 20/20, 20/15. Topics included dry eye, halos, starbursts, glare. The poster described a mixed result or a recovery with meaningful tradeoffs.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-2.75 D, -3.25 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentmixed
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 2 years · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/20, 20/15
2 years · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, halos, starbursts, glare, night-vision difficulty, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 2 years · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

SMILE experience

A two-week SMILE recovery report from a contact-lens wearer who described preoperative dryness and early postoperative dryness and halos, particularly around day three.

Reported starting point

Pre-existing dry eyePre-existing contact-lens-related dryness described
stated by poster

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · Two weeks · stated by poster
Reported result or symptomTwo-week follow-up
Two weeks · stated by poster
Reported result or symptomDryness and halos reported around day three
Two weeks · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

SMILE experience · 2026

Two months after SMILE for -3.5 D myopia, the poster reported essentially perfect visual correction but severe dry-eye symptoms requiring frequent drops. Screens and ventilated environments substantially worsened discomfort and anxiety.

Age
21

Reported starting point

Sphere-3.5 D
Both eyes · stated by poster
AstigmatismVery slight
Both eyes · stated by poster

Reported results and symptoms

Visual correctionDescribed as essentially perfect
Both eyes · 2 months · stated by poster
Dry eyeSevere; frequent drops and worse with screens or ventilation
Both eyes · 2 months · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

SMILE experience · 2026

Six months after SMILE for -2 D myopia, the poster reported slight persistent dryness and mildly reduced clarity on dark-mode screens. They considered these downsides small and said they would choose the procedure again.

Location
Germany

Reported starting point

Sphere-2 D
Both eyes · stated by poster

Reported results and symptoms

Dry eyeMild, mainly with prolonged screen use
Both eyes · 6 months · stated by poster
Screen-related claritySlight blur on dark-mode screens; improved in light mode
Both eyes · 6 months · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience · 2026

One week after EVO ICL for extreme myopia, the poster called the result one of their best decisions. Screen use still caused dryness and fatigue, while halos were already minimal and continued to improve.

Age
34
Clinic
Des Moines Eye Surgeons
Device
EVO ICL

Reported starting point

Sphere-11 D
Left eye · stated by poster
Sphere-12.5 D
Right eye · stated by poster

Reported results and symptoms

Dry eyeMainly after prolonged screen work
Both eyes · 1 week · stated by poster
HalosMinimal and improving
Both eyes · 1 week · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

ICL experience · 2026

One month after EVO+ ICL for -8 D myopia, the poster reported excellent daytime acuity but substantial low-light peripheral glare, some halos, rings and screen-related fatigue. The overall assessment was cautiously positive with meaningful tradeoffs.

Device
EVO+ ICL

Reported starting point

Sphere-8 D
Both eyes · stated by poster
Pre-existing dry eyeMinor
Both eyes · stated by poster

Reported results and symptoms

Visual acuity20/20
Both eyes · Day 1 · stated by poster
Residual visual symptomsLow-light peripheral glare, halos, EVO rings and screen fatigue
Both eyes · 1 month · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience · 2025

Ten days after ICL surgery for high myopia and reported moderate astigmatism, the poster described strong binocular acuity, slight hyperopic residual refraction, improving halos, and no substantial dry-eye symptoms.

Reported starting point

Sphere-10.5 D
Left eye · stated by poster
Sphere-7.75 D
Right eye · stated by poster

Reported results and symptoms

Visual acuity20/20
Left eye · Day 2 · stated by poster
Visual acuity20/25
Right eye · Day 2 · stated by poster
Binocular visual acuity20/15
Both eyes · 1 week · stated by poster
Residual sphere0.25 D
Left eye · 1 week · stated by poster
Residual sphere0.5 D
Right eye · 1 week · stated by poster
HalosStill present but improving and not disruptive
Both eyes · Day 10 · stated by poster
Dry eyeNo major symptoms reported
Both eyes · Day 10 · stated by poster