In this report

What can go wrong?

Laser eye surgery is an invasive surgery, so there is some risk. The most common problems include:

Over- or under-correction - this often corrects itself but you may need to wear glasses or contact lenses part- or full-time. A "fine-tuning" enhancement can be done after three months.
Visual problems - these include corneal haze, glare, starbursts around lights, blurry double vision, light sensitivity, and shadow images. These symptoms are more common after PRK (see How it's done). They usually fade but can seriously affect night vision. For some patients these aren't minor problems. You may have to stop driving at night, and you may find doing things in dim light impossible.
Dry eyes - the inability to produce enough tears can be uncomfortable. After menopause, women are more susceptible to dry eye, especially if they are on hormone replacement therapy.
Eyesight regression - eyesight returns to how it was before the surgery. In some cases vision can be worse.
Infection and inflammation - this delays healing and can lead to corneal scarring.
Flap damage (LASIK only) - instead of creating a hinged flap of tissue, the entire flap may come off. There's a risk of damage, and the flap may be lost.
Distorted flap(LASIK only) - irregular healing of the corneal flap could create a distorted corneal shape. This affects corrected vision.
Eye sensitivity - especially after PRK or other surface treatments.