Newsweek
Woman has laser eye surgery, what happens leaves her with "biggest regret"
"I would rather fight Stage 4 cancer again if it meant I could reverse my decision to get LASIK," Alexis Mencos told Newsweek.
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LASIK Nightmare: Woman Reveals Permanent Nerve Damage and $20,000 Medical Debt
A woman has come forward with a harrowing account of severe complications and significant financial burden following her LASIK surgery in 2021. The individual, who wishes to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, claims to have endured constant pain, burning, grittiness, and dryness in her eyes since the procedure. "Three months after my LASIK surgery, I started noticing that something was wrong," she stated in a recent online video. "I just didn't feel like I was healing properly, and I was in so much pain – like so much burning, grittiness, dryness, pain 24/7." Her condition reportedly worsened, leading to a chalazion, an infected sty that required surgical removal. She described a "spiral effect" where she consulted multiple doctors who, she alleges, "gaslighted me," telling her "my eyes were fine, that I was healed, that there was no damage due to the LASIK." Eventually, she sought an out-of-pocket specialist not covered by her insurance. This doctor reportedly confirmed that she was experiencing "nerve damage due to LASIK." Furthermore, the specialist allegedly revealed that she "never should have been qualified as a candidate due to my history of being a stage 4 cancer survivor," a fact she claims was known to the LASIK clinic during her initial consultations. The woman estimates she has spent over $20,000 in the first year alone on various specialists, tests, and treatments to manage her chronic pain. She continues to incur costs for special eye drops and ongoing medical care. Her story highlights the potential risks and long-term consequences associated with elective surgical procedures and raises questions about patient qualification processes and post-operative care.
