A former LASIK patient is speaking out about the chronic pain he has endured since undergoing surgery five years ago, encouraging viewers to share their own concerns about LASIK surgery.
TikToker Erin Orchard (@erinorchard88) candidly chronicled her post-LASIK journey for her more than 13,000 followers, sharing her daily pain with a recent TikTok video posted on January 7th. It's so intense that most people have to seek emergency medical care.” .
“It's all part of the grieving process,” Orchard captioned her video, which has been viewed 3.9 million times since it was first posted.
LASIK surgery has become an increasingly popular corrective surgery despite the many risks and potential complications. According to , astigmatism, double vision, dry eyes, and even vision loss can occur. mayo clinic. Overcorrection and undercorrection caused by the laser used in the surgery may require him to have a second LASIK surgery to correct.
@erinochard88 It’s all part of the grieving process 💙 #chronic pain #chronic disease #Complications of laser eye surgery #LASIK #prk #LASIK surgery #LASIK complications #prksurgery #prksurgery updated #LASIK surgery #LASIK surgery check #spoony #Spoonylife #Neuralgia #Chronic disease awareness #laser eye surgery #corneal neuralgia #trigeminal neuralgia #chronicpainlife #chronic pain sensation #chronicillnesstiktok #Spoony Soft Iktoku ♬ Every Single Thing – Homeshake
In the second fixed video, Orchard explained that she developed neuropathic corneal pain after LASIK surgery and had spent thousands of dollars on various treatments to no avail. She was hospitalized twice after her surgery, she said, including one on Christmas Eve.
“Unfortunately, laser eye surgery has ruined my life,” Orchard said emotionally before ending the video.
Another TikToker (@shanswanz) recently made headlines after revealing that she underwent LASIK surgery in 2020 and returned to the doctor's office three years later as her vision problems worsened. There, she was blindsided by the news that she had developed corneal neuralgia.
@erinochard88 Laser eye surgery ruined my life #laser eye surgery #LASIK #Neuralgia #chronic pain #health care #prk #LASIK surgery #classic catch #wee ♬ Night Trouble By Petit Biscuit – Tyler
In the comments section of Orchard's original video, many viewers shared symptoms such as chronic pain and dry eyes after surgery. “I had LASIK in 2020 and have been suffering from chronic dry eye ever since. It can be debilitating at times,” user @shelby_nations wrote.
“I had LASIK 14 years ago and the pain finally subsided after 10 years. I wake up during REM sleep,” another viewer shared.
Many said they didn't trust this procedure because their optometrists didn't seem to trust it. User @danakayalsepiclife said, “I saw a photo from a conference of LASIK doctors and most of them were wearing glasses.” “That surprised me.”
Another viewer wrote, “I worked for an optometrist many years ago who said he would never consider LASIK.” “That was enough for me to know never to do that.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Orchard via direct message on TikTok.
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*First published: January 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM CST
Maya Ray
Maya Wray is the Daily Dot's Fall 2022 FOIA Intern. She is currently in her senior year at the University of Texas at Austin, studying journalism in the Moody College Honors Program. She writes for the Daily Texan and the Austin Chronicle.
