Depression and Suicide

Max Cronin had his whole life ahead of him, filled with promise. Max joined the U.S. Army and served in the war in Iraq. In 2009 while stationed at Ft. Hood, Max had Lasik eye surgery. After leaving the Army, Max returned to Texas. In July, 2015, Max opted to have a PRK laser eye surgery retreatment because his vision was declining. 

Max experienced several Lasik complications such as dry eyes, constant eye pain, declining vision, corneal haze, and night driving problems. The complications he suffered took a huge toll on his quality of life and prevented him from working and continuing his education. To add insult to injury, Max felt that his laser eye surgeon was arrogant and lacked compassion. Max wrote several suicide letters stating that he was going to kill himself because his laser eye surgery had ruined his eyes and his life.

Colin Dorrian, 28, was a promising patent attorney and medical school student when he sought relief from a chronic dry eye condition by undergoing Lasik laser eye surgery. However, rather than improving his vision and freeing him from his contacts, the Lasik complications left him with so much eye pain and fuzzy vision that after six years, he took his own life. Dorrian should never have been allowed to have the surgery. His pupils were overly large, and he suffered from extreme dryness of the eyes—two conditions that should have disqualified him from having the procedure. And yet he was cleared for it. Watch this video of Colin’s father testifying at an FDA hearing on Lasik.