LASIK Complications in Orange County — You Have Options We Haven't Discussed Yet
You researched LASIK carefully. You followed your surgeon's instructions to the letter. And still — something isn't right. You're not imagining it, and you're not alone.
Most eye doctors simply don't know what to do when LASIK doesn't deliver what was promised. We do. For over 35 years, we've been the referral center for patients who need answers after surgical disappointment.
LASIK Complications Are More Common Than Surgeons Acknowledge
The FDA estimates approximately 700,000 LASIK procedures are performed annually in the United States. The majority of patients achieve good results. But a meaningful percentage — studies suggest 1–5% — experience persistent complications that interfere significantly with daily life and that their surgeon cannot resolve with standard follow-up care.
For RK (radial keratotomy) patients from the 1980s and 90s, the numbers are even more sobering. Incision-based procedures create instability that often worsens significantly after age 40, causing vision fluctuation and hyperopic shift that can be severe.
What these patients share is a common experience: they are told either that their outcome is "within normal range" or that enhancement surgery is the only option. Neither answer is satisfying — and neither is necessarily correct.
What Patients Tell Us They're Experiencing
- Halos around lights — especially at night while driving
- Starbursts from streetlights and oncoming headlights
- Glare in bright conditions that reduces contrast
- Vision regression — the correction is wearing off
- Chronic dry eye that began or worsened after surgery
- Corneal ectasia — progressive weakening and distortion
- Fluctuating vision (worse in morning or evening)
- Over- or under-correction that glasses don't fully fix
Complications We Treat
Each of these conditions has dedicated evaluation protocols, specific treatment approaches, and — often — solutions that no one has mentioned to you yet.
Halos & Glare After LASIK
Optical zone size issues and higher-order aberrations cause halos and starbursts that make night driving dangerous. Specialty optical solutions exist that reduce these aberrations significantly.
Learn morePost-LASIK Dry Eye
LASIK severs corneal nerves, disrupting the feedback loop that governs tear production. Persistent dry eye after LASIK often requires medical management beyond artificial tears — and sometimes scleral lenses.
Learn moreCorneal Ectasia (LASIK-Induced Keratoconus)
When LASIK removes too much corneal tissue or is performed on a susceptible cornea, progressive ectasia can develop — causing distortion that worsens over time. Scleral lenses can restore functional vision even as the ectasia progresses.
Learn moreRadial Keratotomy (RK) Problems
RK from the 1980s and 90s creates problems that worsen with age — diurnal fluctuation, hyperopic shift, and glare from incision lines. Scleral lenses vault over the incisions entirely, providing stable correction throughout the day.
Learn moreWhy Non-Surgical Is Often the Smarter Choice Now
The Problem with Enhancement Surgery
LASIK enhancement surgery removes additional corneal tissue from a cornea that has already been significantly thinned. This creates real risks that your surgeon may not fully emphasize:
- Each enhancement reduces the corneal tissue reserve further, increasing ectasia risk
- The original optical zone size issue that causes halos often persists after enhancement
- Enhancement surgery cannot undo nerve damage causing dry eye
- Patients with post-LASIK ectasia may be categorically poor candidates for further ablation
- Repeated surgeries compound the aberrations that cause visual disturbances
What Scleral Lenses Offer Instead
Scleral contact lenses correct vision caused by post-LASIK irregularity without touching the cornea. The fluid-filled lens creates a smooth optical surface in front of whatever the cornea looks like underneath:
- No additional tissue removed — corneal integrity preserved
- Can correct irregular astigmatism that glasses cannot touch
- The saline reservoir addresses dry eye symptoms simultaneously
- Fully reversible — if a newer technology emerges, you haven't closed any doors
- Many patients achieve better corrected vision than they had after surgery
Scleral Ortho-K: Glasses-Free Days Without More Surgery
For post-LASIK patients who want glasses-free daytime vision without undergoing further surgical intervention, scleral orthokeratology offers a compelling alternative. Worn overnight, these full-scleral-diameter lenses gently reshape the residual refractive error on the corneal surface — allowing you to remove them in the morning and see clearly throughout the day.
Unlike standard ortho-K lenses, which require a well-shaped cornea to fit correctly, scleral ortho-K designs work on the flattened, irregular post-LASIK corneal surface — the one that standard small lenses cannot properly contact and reshape.
Learn About Scleral LensesDoctor's Insight: Post-LASIK Care
Direct Answers from Dr. Bonakdar
Can LASIK complications be fixed without more surgery?
Yes. Scleral contact lenses correct vision caused by post-LASIK irregularity without touching the cornea. For halos and glare from optical zone issues, specialty lenses address the underlying optical problem by creating a smooth fluid surface in front of the irregular cornea. Enhancement surgery is not always the safest answer — each enhancement removes additional tissue from a cornea that has already been significantly thinned, and increases ectasia risk.
How long after LASIK can complications appear?
Most complications appear within the first year after LASIK. However, corneal ectasia — a progressive weakening of the cornea — can appear years or even decades later, particularly in patients who had thin corneas at the time of surgery. Radial Keratotomy (RK) from the 1980s and 90s creates a different pattern: the incision-based instability often worsens significantly after age 40, causing hyperopic shift and diurnal vision fluctuation that many patients never anticipated.
Does insurance cover treatment for LASIK complications?
When LASIK complications result in medically necessary correction — ectasia, significant irregular astigmatism, or corneal thinning — medical insurance typically covers specialty lens fitting and ongoing management. This is distinct from standard vision plan coverage. We handle prior authorization and submit under appropriate medical billing codes to maximize your benefits. VSP medical exception claims, EyeMed, Medicare Part B, and most major medical carriers are accepted.
Specialist in Post-Surgical Complication Management
Dr. Alexander Bonakdar, O.D. has provided specialty post-surgical care for patients with LASIK, RK, PRK, and corneal transplant complications since 1991 — well before most optometric practices developed this subspecialty. His 35+ years in specialty contact lens fitting makes EyeCare Center OC one of the most experienced practices in Southern California for post-refractive surgery management.
EyeCare Center OC receives referrals for complex post-surgical corneal cases from UCI Medical Center and CHOC Children's Hospital. Patients travel from throughout Orange County, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire specifically for post-LASIK scleral lens evaluations.
Dr. Bonakdar's approach to post-LASIK patients begins with a comprehensive corneal mapping session — topography, OCT pachymetry, and aberrometry — before any treatment recommendation. Understanding the exact anatomy of what surgery created is the foundation of finding what can be done about it.
"Most post-LASIK patients I see were told there was nothing more to do. In most cases, I strongly disagree."
— Dr. Alexander Bonakdar, O.D.
"I had LASIK in 2008 and the halos at night were so bad I stopped driving after dark. My LASIK surgeon said my outcome was 'within normal range.' Dr. Bonakdar fitted me with scleral lenses and the halos dropped by probably 80%. I drive at night again. I wish I had found him ten years sooner."
— Robert M., Anaheim Hills, CA
Schedule a LASIK Complication Consultation
Tell us what you're experiencing and when your surgery was. We'll review your situation and let you know what a specialty evaluation can offer.
Get a Second Opinion Before Accepting "That's Just How It Is"
Patients who come to us after LASIK complications have often been told nothing can be done. We frequently disagree — and can show you why in a single consultation.