Dailies Contact Lenses

Does laser eye surgery cause or increase the likelihood cataracts?

A friend of mine told me that undergoing laser eye surgery will cause cataracts 20 years after the operation. Is this true?

Public Comments

1. No, not true at all. One has nothing to do with the other. Laser surgery is on the outer layers of the cornea, and cataracts are inside the eye on the lens of the eye, which isn't touched by the laser.
2. Every one will get cataracts if they live long enough. Cataracts are caused by the Trabecular meshwork in your eye being clogged by proteins in your eye. The proteins are wet and tend to clump together, and after a while they can no longer pass freely through the meshwork. Imagine a clogged shower drain. Fortunately, it is quick and easy procedure to remove the cataracts. The laser eye surgery involves altering the shape of the cornea, and therefore has no effect on the likelihood of cataracts.
3. I have had one patient that developed cataracts shortly after LASIK while still in his forties. Most people that have had LASIK will not get cataracts any sooner than would normally be expected.