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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1160 reviewed experiences

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

Self-reported anecdoteSentiment unclear

LASIK experience · 2024

A first-person LASIK account at 2 years described the result. Topics included ghosting, blur or fluctuating vision. 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 · 2 years · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedghosting, blur or fluctuating vision
Both eyes · 2 years · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. Reported acuity included 20/20, 20/29. Topics included halos, blur or fluctuating vision, pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Device
EVO ICL

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, 20/29
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhalos, blur or fluctuating vision, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. Reported acuity included 20/15. Topics included dry eye, halos, glare, blur or fluctuating vision. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Age
26

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 values20/15
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, halos, glare, blur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, night-vision difficulty, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account at 11 days described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Reported acuity included 20/40, 20/22, 20/28, 20/20. Topics included dry eye, ghosting, blur or fluctuating vision, haze. The poster described a mixed result or a recovery with meaningful tradeoffs.

Device
EVO ICL

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-5 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentmixed
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/40, 20/22, 20/28, 20/20
11 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, ghosting, blur or fluctuating vision, haze
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteSentiment unclear

ICL experience · 2020

A first-person ICL account at 6 years described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. The source did not state a clear overall satisfaction judgment.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-13.5 D, -1.25 D, -2.25 D, -1 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentunclear
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 6 years · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. Reported acuity included 20/20. Topics included blur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

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
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedblur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account at 11 days described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Topics included dry eye, halos. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-0.25 D, -1.25 D, -0.75 D, -1 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, halos
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account at 3 days described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Reported acuity included 20/20. Topics included halos, pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-7 D, -6.5 D, -0.5 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 3 days · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/20
3 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhalos, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 3 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

SMILE experience · 2026

A first-person SMILE account at 7 days described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Topics included dry eye, halos, blur or fluctuating vision, pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Device
SMILE Pro

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-3 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 7 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, halos, blur or fluctuating vision, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 7 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteSentiment unclear

LASIK experience · 2016

A first-person LASIK account at 10 years described the result. Topics included regression. 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 · 10 years · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedregression
Both eyes · 10 years · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Reported acuity included 20/20, 20/30. Topics included halos, night-vision difficulty. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Age
38

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-0.5 D
stated by poster
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, 20/30
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhalos, night-vision difficulty
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

SMILE experience · 2026

A first-person SMILE account at 20 days described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Topics included haze, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort. The poster described a mixed result or a recovery with meaningful tradeoffs.

Age
27
Device
SMILE Pro

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-3.5 D, -0.5 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentmixed
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 20 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhaze, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 20 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account at 1 day described the result. Reported acuity included 20/20. Topics included halos, blur or fluctuating vision, haze, light sensitivity. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Device
EVO ICL

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 1 day · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/20
1 day · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhalos, blur or fluctuating vision, haze, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 1 day · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Reported acuity included 20/25, 20/20. Topics included halos, starbursts, blur or fluctuating vision, haze. The poster described a mixed result or a recovery with meaningful tradeoffs.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-0.75 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentmixed
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values20/25, 20/20
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhalos, starbursts, blur or fluctuating vision, haze, light sensitivity, night-vision difficulty
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account at 11 days described the result. Topics included halos, glare, blur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhalos, glare, blur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account at 2 weeks described the result. Topics included pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 2 weeks · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedpain or discomfort
Both eyes · 2 weeks · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported dissatisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account at 3 months described the result. Topics included halos, starbursts, pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was unfavorable.

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentunsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 3 months · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedhalos, starbursts, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 3 months · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

SMILE experience · 2026

A first-person SMILE account at 11 days described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Topics included dry eye, halos, starbursts, glare. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Device
SMILE Pro

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-3 D, -1.25 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, halos, starbursts, glare
Both eyes · 11 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience

In an April 2026 comment, a patient reported satisfaction two years after ICL surgery in Mumbai for extreme myopia (-20 D left, -19 D right). The source described unchanged prescription and tolerating extensive screen work. Floaters were reported as present since childhood. This older account was discovered during the expanded myopia-community review; the lens model and measured postoperative acuity were not supplied.

Age
29
Location
India

Reported starting point

Reported preoperative prescription-20 D left and -19 D right
Both eyes · stated by poster
Preoperative floatersFloaters present since childhood, before ICL implantation
Both eyes · stated by poster
Reported screen toleranceReported no new problems during extensive computer and tablet work
Both eyes · 2 years · stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentSatisfied and would choose surgery again
Both eyes · stated by poster

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointTwo years after ICL surgery
Both eyes · 2 years · calculated from stated values
Self-reported stabilityPrescription unchanged and regular examinations reported as reassuring
Both eyes · 2 years · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account at 5 days described the result. Topics included pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 5 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedpain or discomfort
Both eyes · 5 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported satisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Reported acuity included 20/20. Topics included glare, blur or fluctuating vision, pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was favorable.

Age
20

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-6.5 D
stated by poster
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
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedglare, blur or fluctuating vision, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteSentiment unclear

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Topics included ghosting, blur or fluctuating vision. The source did not state a clear overall satisfaction judgment.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-16 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentunclear
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedghosting, blur or fluctuating vision
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteReported dissatisfied

LASIK experience · 2026

A first-person LASIK account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Reported acuity included 6/6. Topics included blur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort. The poster's overall assessment was unfavorable.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-3.75 D, -0.75 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentunsatisfied
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Reported visual-acuity values6/6
Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedblur or fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

SMILE experience · 2026

A first-person SMILE account at 8 days described the result. Topics included blur or fluctuating vision, haze, pain or discomfort. The poster described a mixed result or a recovery with meaningful tradeoffs.

Device
Femtosecond LASIK

Reported starting point

Overall self-assessmentmixed
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · 8 days · stated by poster
Symptoms discussedblur or fluctuating vision, haze, pain or discomfort
Both eyes · 8 days · stated by poster
Self-reported anecdoteMixed report

ICL experience · 2026

A first-person ICL account with a postoperative follow-up described the result. The source included baseline prescription values. Topics included dry eye, blur or fluctuating vision, haze. The poster described a mixed result or a recovery with meaningful tradeoffs.

Reported starting point

Reported prescription values-10 D, -3 D
stated by poster
Overall self-assessmentmixed
Both eyes · curator inference

Reported results and symptoms

Follow-up pointPostoperative experience reported
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster
Symptoms discusseddry eye, blur or fluctuating vision, haze
Both eyes · Follow-up reported · stated by poster