Highlight
1. Postoperative ocular pain after LASIK and PRK follows distinct trajectories: no pain, transient postoperative pain, and prolonged pain lasting several months.
2. Prolonged ocular pain is significantly more frequent after PRK compared to LASIK.
3. Baseline factors such as preoperative use of lubricating drops, chronic low back pain, and higher dry eye symptom burden are associated with increased risk of prolonged postoperative ocular pain.
4. Unexpectedly, corneal staining observed at 6 months post-surgery correlates with a lower risk of prolonged pain, suggesting complex ocular surface dynamics after surgery.
