Link between Lasik surgery and depression/suicide?

12,331 Views | 79 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by Dr.Rumack
saw em off
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Never would have linked the two together but apparently it's a thing.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/fox-2-detroit-meteorologist-jessica-starr-dies-at-35

http://lasikcomplications.com/suicide.htm
Unemployed
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AG
I'd rather deal with the inconvenience of wearing glasses/contacts than risk experiencing any complications from Lasik surgery.
Mike Winchell
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I heard about that this morning and came to the same conclusion as well, but I've never heard of it before. Don't think I'd ever want to get LASIK
Ragoo
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Second link won't ipen but what is the prevailing reason lasik and suicide are linked?
BaitShack
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Quote:

Our beloved, Max Burleson Cronin, committed suicide 1-14-16, at the young age of 27 years old,as a result of devastating complications from an elective laser eye surgery.

He is eternally alive in Heaven and in all of our hearts. Max had a simple desire not to have to wear glasses. He believed a Laser Eye Surgery was a safe procedure. He had an "enhancement" of PRK. He developed severe corneal hazing resulting in blindness, severe constant eye pain, dry eyes, and other complications. Efforts to get help through the VA were not successful. He was unable to continue his classes or work, resulting in financial collapse of his household. He left suicide letters stating his eyes were ruined and thus his life.
https://www.theeagle.com/obituaries/cronin-max-burleson/article_abba1b28-cbfa-5b8e-921f-9c24772c985f.html
ClickClack
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Ragoo said:

Second link won't ipen but what is the prevailing reason lasik and suicide are linked?


Complications / worsening of vision after LASIK causing suicide attempts. I can imagine having severe vision issues afterwards would mess with your head a lot.
quanah
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I got Lasik about 13 years ago, I had no complications and have had perfect vision ever since. No longer having to deal with the hassle of glasses and contacts is like having a huge burden lifted from your shoulders that you didn't know you were carrying, so it can go both ways.
OasisMan
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had lasik ~8yrs ago

love it

they do so many procedures yearly and the technology is advancing, the risk for serious complication is well under 1%
AggieDarlin
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...yeaaahhh...I'm gonna need more information. Like what quack they likely used

saw em off
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Ragoo said:

Second link won't ipen but what is the prevailing reason lasik and suicide are linked?
Here's the first quote on the page:

Quote:

Dr. Edward Boshnick: "Over the years I've had the misfortune of examining hundreds of patients who have lost quality vision and suffered severe depression as a result of LASIK surgery. Two of these patients were so depressed by their post-surgical vision loss that they attempted suicide. In fact, there are several documented cases of post-lasik suicides."
dodger02
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Yeah, the LASIK doesn't cause depression. The complications (including losing one's eyesight) can result in depression which then can lead to suicide.

There was once a billboard on I35 that said "LASIK causes suicide" or something like that. I think my wife also pointed out some facebook viral thing, too.

Getting LASIK was one of the best decisions I've ever made. But, I paid good money to have it done by a reputable physician. No way I'd ever go to one of those $99 places I sometimes see.
C@LAg
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Sine poena nulla lex.
KidDoc
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I had Lasik back in 2004 or so and went from being unable to see much past a foot to 20/20 still. I did not go cheap I went with Dr Lipsky down in Clear Lake. This is not something I would do a group-on for but for the overwhelming majority of patients it is a fantastic procedure.

But nothing medical is without risk, albeit a tiny one. It would certainly be depressing to lose vision as a complication of anything really.


No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
IIIHorn
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I have decided to have Lasik performed on my contact lenses.
AgEng06
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Dr. Lipsky did my wife's procedure about 10 years ago. It has been great for her.
NoahAg
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saw em off said:

Never would have linked the two together but apparently it's a thing.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/fox-2-detroit-meteorologist-jessica-starr-dies-at-35

http://lasikcomplications.com/suicide.htm
Saw this earlier. Sad. Abandoned her husband and two little kids. I'll go way out on a limb and say she probably had issues prior to Lasik. Correlation =/= causation.

Unlike the article Baitshack posted, it sounded like this lady killed herself w/in days of the surgery.
beanbean
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Had lasik in 2005. My eyes regressed a little during 2006 and I got an enhancement on both eyes a year later. I was good for about 5 years and then my eyes started to regress again. I've been back in glasses for the last 8 years. When I got lasik, they said later in life, I might need reading glasses. I turn 45 next month, and my close up vision has really been regressing quickly in the last couple of years. I really need bifocals now, but have been putting it off. If I read something, I can usually get by with just taking off my glasses.

That said, my eye sight was absolutely awful before lasik and is much better now. Forgot where I was before the surgery but immediately afterward, I was 20/15 and now I'm about 20/75. Just makes me nervous how quickly my close up vision is changing right now. I didn't cheap out my surgery in 2005. I paid over $4k at a very reputable clinic.

I don't feel the need to commit suicide though.
MouthBQ98
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How you react depends on many factors including age, your specific eye condition, as the type of LASIC done.

My wife was about 20/400 without correction when she had lasic done back in about 2001. It cost a LOT for good surgery at that time, too, but there were fewer inexperienced doctors offering it back then, ironically, because it was so new and the needed surgical equipment was rare.

She went to 20/20, the regressed over time to 20/40 or 20/50, but aging will cause some regression over time.

She couldn't read the big E on the eye chart before it. For 20 years she has had good eyesight after it. I can see where a damaging failure might lead to bad depression though.
JeepWaveEarl
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Same for me. I had it about 5-6 years ago and it was great at first but at night I've noticed I can't read street signs like I should. I'm actually planning to go see a doctor to get lenses put in old frames to be able to see better while driving in the dark.
Tatem
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OasisMan said:

had lasik ~8yrs ago

love it

they do so many procedures yearly and the technology is advancing, the risk for serious complication is well under 1%
My dad's risk during his heart procedure was 1%

Unfortunately, he was the 1%... so it can happen
Unemployed
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redd38 said:

I've been thinking about Lasik for a few years, one of my actual concerns is how difficult it would be to kill myself if I were blind.
Say what?
Flashdiaz
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I got LASIK and got depressed when I saw how ugly everyone else is.
Drawkcab
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Bro, that's not even a little funny.
BBRex
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I've been planning to get LASIK in January. I can't even read the big E, and I've had this issue since I was 8 or 9. The expense of bifocal glasses and contact lenses and reading glasses has me thinking it makes financial sense.
Brian Earl Spilner
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How hard is it to jump out a window?
DannyDuberstein
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Most folks I know that got LASIK years ago are back to wearing contacts or glasses now. So it seems like a risk that eventually ends up being a bit of a waste of time.
AgEng06
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

How hard is it to jump out a window?
Oh man... I'm not sure if it would be worse to be able to see the ground coming or not in this scenario.
NoahAg
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

How hard is it to jump out a window?
If he's blind how he gonna see where the window is you inconsiderate jerk!
Brian Earl Spilner
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That's an interesting point. I wonder if the "life flashing before your eyes" moment happens depending on how close you are to the ground. They say the last few seconds stretch into forever. But if you can't see it coming, maybe it happens for the entire fall.
dodger02
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Going home and sleeping off the Valium then waking up the next morning seeing damn near 20/20 is an incredible feeling.

Hell, that night, I could watch the living room TV from the kitchen and I was amazed.
agnerd
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Drawkcab said:

Bro, that's not even a little funny.
Don't think he was being funny. Losing your eye sight is VERY common cause of suicide. Article shows its not at all uncommon. Sudden and severe degradation in your quality of life is often the cause of suicide committed by otherwise sane individuals. Paralysis, losing both arms/legs/hands, and losing vision are very common causes along with losing huge amounts of money. And honestly, if you're not willing to follow them around 24/7 and take care of everything they used to be able to do for themselves, you don't really get to judge what is a an acceptable and unacceptable reason for suicide.

I would consider suicide for:
Lost vision
Lost both hands
Lost one hand and one arm
quadriplegic
Terminal illness with really bad pain
Alzheimers / complete memory loss

If someone else has to wipe my ass, I wouldn't really feel a need to stay living.

Flashdiaz
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farsightedness happens with age regardless of if you had LASIK or not.

The difference is you can see things far away more clearly with LASIK than without.
DannyDuberstein
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Flashdiaz said:

farsightedness happens with age regardless of if you had LASIK or not.

The difference is you can see things far away more clearly with LASIK than without.
I don't mean farsightedness (age related presbyopia). I mean the actual reason they got LASIK to begin with.
ShinerBlonde
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Having had LASIK 8 years ago I would say the reward was worth the risk to me. My vision was so awful that honestly I felt it greatly affected my quality of life. Even if I go back to wearing glasses in a few years it's highly unlikely my vision would ever be as awful as it was before so I still feel it was money well spent and worth the risk. I think it really depends on how handicapped you feel by your vision. I didn't want to be dependent on glasses to be able to function for the rest of my life if there was a chance I could get by without. I'm okay with needing them for driving or reading if I don't absolutely depend on them to see more than 2 feet in front of me.
redd38
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Drawkcab said:

Bro, that's not even a little funny.


Not a joke at all. Why would I want to struggle through life as a blind person?
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