Vision will go in and out of focus for the first few days following surgery. It should improve within one week. Distance vision usually improves before reading vision. Patients over 40 usually still need reading glasses. Some patients suffer from dry eyes, which can be treated with artificial teardrops.
Some patients report problems with night vision and halos for the first few months after surgery.
One of the more serious side effects is if the flap gets dislodged. It is rare, but serious when it occurs. It usually happens in the first 24 hours and will cause blurry vision and pain. Doctors will lift the flap up and re-lay it. Get several opinions and ask how many surgeries they have performed, what the complication rates are, how long they trained for the procedure, and are they board certified.