Refractive surgery safety at altitude

Abstract

Over the years, many climbers and other visitors to high altitude have been attracted to refractive surgery in hopes of lessening their dependence on glasses. Although there has been a gradual refinement of these procedures over time, they continue to have the potential for visual changes with altitude exposure. The goal of this review is to provide guidance to clinicians as to how to better advise their patients on the pros and cons of these procedures.