A young Pennsylvania man recently took his own life, months after he underwent corrective LASIK eye surgery. His parents blame their son’s suicide on the ‘debilitating’ side effects he experienced, but vision experts claim that the procedure is generally ‘safe and effective.’Ryan Kingerski, 26, a young officer with the Penn Hills Police Department, was ‘funny and witty — just a genuine person,’ according to Tim and Stefanie Kingerski, who spoke with Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview. ‘See the video at the top of this article.’ The Kingerskis have since connected with other families who have had similar experiences. ‘We hear from people constantly who just say, ‘I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I don’t know if I can take it,’’ Ryan’s father said. Ryan’s parents now aim to raise awareness and are calling for ‘transparency and accountability.’ They have also filed a complaint with the FDA.
In an email provided to Fox News Digital, the FDA acknowledged to the Kingerskis that they had learned about the ‘horrific laser LASIK incident with Ryan Kingerski.’ They also stated that while hospitals and clinics are required to report associated deaths and injuries, they do not always do so. ‘The FDA inspector commented he has been following these laser LASIK incidences for several years,’ the email stated. ‘He explained there is under-reporting by the Ophthalmic Clinics because they are not submitting the required patient injuries to the FDA.’ ‘What we’re really looking for is accountability from the industry,’ said Stefanie Kingerski. ‘We want the FDA to step up, start investigating, start looking deeper, start finding out what the long-term effects are.’ ‘The implied consent is just a piece of paper that they give you without explaining,’ Tim Kingerski noted. ‘The consent form should say that LASIK can and has caused permanent damage that makes you want to kill yourself, because that is a fact.’ He added, ‘People are being hurt every day by something that is touted as safe and effective, which we can tell you it’s not.’
Previous suicides have been reported following laser eye surgeries. In 2018, Jessica Starr, a Michigan meteorologist, took her own life two months after the procedure. She had experienced chronic dry eye and blurry vision, according to local reports. Starr left behind video journals detailing her struggles, saying she had lived ‘six weeks of hell.’ In 2016, a Texas college student, Max Cronin, committed suicide at age 27. His obituary states that his death was the result of ‘devastating complications from an elective laser eye surgery.’ Dr. James Kelly, M.D., a renowned refractive surgeon specialist and comprehensive ophthalmologist in New York City, said he is not aware of peer-reviewed literature that reports higher rates of suicide in patients who have had LASIK versus the same matched population demographics that have not had the procedure. ‘The most common side effect is dry eye, for which there are many effective treatments, and the condition often improves in the several months after the procedure,’ he said. ‘The most important message to patients who are having eye problems is to seek the care of an experienced professional, and the same is true for anyone experiencing mental health conditions.’
The Refractive Surgery Council, an organization that aims to ‘help people make informed decisions about their vision correction choices,’ spoke to Fox News Digital in defense of these procedures. ‘An enormous body of scientific data supports LAS, as both safe and effective for those who are good candidates, a fact the FDA has repeatedly affirmed and validated with independent research,’ a spokesperson said. For those considering a vision correction procedure, the council recommends being ‘as informed as possible,’ which includes understanding whether they are a good candidate, choosing the right surgeon and having a thorough conversation with the care team. ‘As with all surgical procedures, there is a risk of side effects and complications from LASIK,’ the spokesperson noted. ‘Clinical research finds serious sight-threatening LASIK complications occur in less than 1% of patients.’
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) also commented to Fox News Digital about the situation. ‘While we don’t know the clinical details of Ryan’s case, we do know that the answer to the question of why a person chooses to die by suicide is complex and most often related to depression and emotional trauma,’ said Stephen D. McLeod, M.D., CEO of the AAO. ‘We have no idea what role LASIK itself might have played. Regardless, this is a tragedy, and our hearts go out to Ryan Kingerski’s family.’ The academy noted that while ‘most patients’ are good candidates, ‘LASIK is not for everyone.’ The academy recommends patients talk with their ophthalmologist to understand the potential risks and to ensure they are a good candidate. ‘An ophthalmologist is the most qualified physician to advise patients on all types of refractive surgery,’ McLeod advised.