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Woman who had LASIK eye surgery issues stark warning about high-risk procedure
A TikTok star has urged viewers not to have laser-eyer eye surgery as she claimed it was the 'worst mistake of my life.'
Jess Shields said the procedure, known as LASIK surgery, left her with permanent issues such as daily eye pain, floaters and dryness.
The personal trainer had the procedure in 2022 and claimed doctors were surprised by the length of her side effects after telling her it had gone 'great.'
'If I can make somebody think twice before doing it, that's what I'm here to do,' Shields said.
LASIK is a type of surgery used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, according to The Lasik Vision Institute. It is a standard procedure that a surgeon can complete in five to 15 minutes.
Jess Shields recounted the events and results of her 2022 LASIK eye surgery in a TikTok video earlier this week, and has recommended viewers to not get that procedure
Shields revealed in her July 12 video that a doctor called her a 'perfect candidate' for the common eye surgery.
She claimed the doctor informed her of side effects such as eye dryness but that they also told her it would 'go away.'
'They really made it sound like it's rare to have issues afterward... Almost every single person I've ever spoken to who's had LASIK has a lot of issues,' Shields said.
She added that she can still live her day-to-day life, but that her eye issues are 'pretty noticeable' at times.
'The floaters can be really frustrating. I can't look at anything bright without having floaters going through her eyes,' she said.
Other permanent issues she claimed to have because of LASIK were chronic headaches and eye cysts.
According to Shields, her doctor allegedly said the cysts were not from LASIK, but she believes otherwise.
The TikTok user then revealed that after more than two years, her eyes are 'not good again' and that she will likely need to wear glasses again.
She added that her 'horrendously dry' eyes have caused her to no longer be able to wear contacts.
'If you want it for convenience, don't do it. It genuinely has taken down my quality of life by 20 percent,' Shields said regarding her LASIK eye surgery experience.
LASIK surgery is performed on the front layer of the eye and a laser is used to reshape the cornea
After a doctor determines if their patient is a good procedure candidate, they measure the eyes and perform diagnostic testing to ensure the surgeon has accurate information.
Doctors also measure eye dryness and the ability to notice differences in shadings and patterns of objects.
The surgery is relatively painless, but patients could feel eye pressure during it more than once.
Ophthalmologist Vicente Diaz, MD, told Forbes earlier this year: 'Immediately after the surgery, the person usually sees better without glasses than they ever have.'
Patients who undergo LASIK eye surgery usually have a quick recovery time, but they could suffer eye dryness, halos around the eyes, puffy eyelids, and sensitivity to light, according to Verywell Health.
Most of them are able to be back on their feet to work or drive within 24 to 48 hours after the surgery.
LASIK eye surgery can occasionally take up to six months for a patient's eyes to heal completely.
According to Shields, a doctor called her a 'perfect candidate' for LASIK eye surgery, and that the procedure was successful
LASIK is a type of eye surgery used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
The surgery can also lead to dry eyes, permanent vision loss, and irreversible blindness, though these effects are rare.
However, 92 to 98 percent of patients are satisfied with LASIK eye surgery, and its complication rate is less than 1 percent.
Another surgery patients with vision problems could consider undergoing is photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), which Shields recommended to anyone looking to improve their eyesight.
PRK is a similar corrective eye surgery where surgeons opt to not make a flap in a cornea.
PRK is also a quick procedure that takes less than 30 minutes. It has a high success rate and a lesser chance of complications.
However, a patient who chooses the PRK surgery would have a longer recovery and likely suffer eye discomfort for a longer period of time.
Other options that can improve one's vision are small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) or the intraocular lens (IOL) procedure.
TikTok users have discussed their own LASIK surgery stories involving themselves or their family members in Shields' video comment section.
'My ex-husband had a botched LASIK procedure. It was horrible until he was able to get topographic corrective LASIK,' a TikTok user wrote.
Another person commented: 'I got LASIK and I also regretted it. My dry eyes are horrible. I used to never know I had eyes; it was just bad eyesight. Now I’m constantly reminded about my uncomfortable eyes, especially as the day goes on.'
But others were much more positive.
'I had chronic dry eye for 10 years after LASIK, and then it went away,' a TikToker wrote.
'So there is hope, but I know that sounds like a really long time.'