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Doctor Says FDA Received Thousands Of Complaints Linked To Lasik Eye Surgery

At least three deaths happened after the victims complained about excruciating eye pain and blurriness.

After the shocking suicide of Detroit meteorologist Jessica Starr, who took her own life in the months following SMILE laser eye surgery, many are re-evaluating the dangerous side effects linked to corrective vision surgery.

Starr reportedly hanged herself after voicing several complaints about the constant pain and blurred vision she experienced during her recovery. Starr was one of several people who committed suicide after laser eye surgery.

The families of Max Cronin, Colin Dorrian and Officer Lawrence Campbell said their relatives experienced debilitating eye pain after the surgery. In end, Cronin, Dorrian, and Campbell took their own life, reported the Daily Mail.

The year 2008 was the last time the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) heard from the families of people who committed suicide after LASIK. According to former FDA member Dr. Morris Waxler, the agency hasn’t responded to “thousands” of complaints that have been made since.

“There shouldn't be any of these surgeries,” Dr. Waxler told Daily Mail. “How many people have to suffer because some come out okay? It's just one big scam.”

According to the FDA, 95% of patients are pleased with the results of Lasik and only 1% of people experience complications.

However, Waxler told Daily Mail he learned, though an online support group, that at least 17 people who have committed suicide after Lasik. 

Gerald Dorrian was one of the people who testified in 2008 after her son Colin committed suicide at age 28 after suffering from excruciating pain for over six years. 

“If I cannot get my eyes fixed, I'm going to kill myself,” read a note from Colin.

“I just cannot accept the fact that I'm supposed to live like this. I have other problems like most people do. But this is something else. As soon as my eyes went bad, I fell into a deeper depression than I had ever experienced, and I never really came out of it.”

Physician Kenneth Maller, of Florida, says the suicide after Lasik eye surgery is a legitimate issue that the public should know about. Maller, who specializes in fixing botched Lasik surgeries, helped treat Paul Fitzpatrick, reported CBS 12.

Fitzpatrick, of Canada, experienced poor vision and pain after undergoing Lasik eye surgery. While Maller was able to fix Fitzpatrick’s sight, his pain continued and eventually led him to commit suicide.

“Which is heartbreaking. In the end, he wasn’t able to deal with the pain, so he committed suicide,” he told the news station.

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