The family of Ryan Kingerski, a 26-year-old police officer from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that severe complications from LASIK eye surgery contributed to his suicide in January 2025. The lawsuit names LASIKPlus Pittsburgh, its parent company LCA-Vision, and the ophthalmologist who performed the procedure, Dr. Michael Rom.
According to the suit, Kingerski underwent the elective five-minute procedure in August 2024 and subsequently suffered from excruciating pain, double vision, persistent headaches, vision loss, dizziness, blurred vision, eye strain, and nausea. His family claims he was not fully informed of the risks associated with the surgery, particularly given his pre-existing conditions of nearsightedness and thin corneal tissue.
"He left us a note that said, 'I can't take this anymore. LASIK took everything from me,'" Timothy Kingerski, the officer's father, told KDKA-TV. The lawsuit asserts that Dr. Rom allegedly never examined Kingerski prior to the surgery and met him only minutes beforehand. It also claims that informed consent paperwork was provided only after payment and eye dilation had occurred.
LASIK surgery, or Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, is an outpatient procedure that permanently reshapes the cornea to correct vision problems. While typically resulting in temporary side effects such as dry eyes and light sensitivity, experts caution that patients with pre-existing conditions may experience more severe complications.
Kingerski's family alleges that the surgery center engaged in a deceptive marketing scheme, leading consumers to believe LASIK was entirely safe. The lawsuit states that Kingerski began experiencing significant complications almost immediately after surgery. By August 2024, he reported an inability to function due to his symptoms. Dr. Rom reportedly wrote a letter on Kingerski's behalf in September 2024 seeking short-term disability benefits.
The suit further claims that Kingerski, who had no prior mental health history, began speaking out about his experience in online reviews and social media in November 2024. By December, when he sought a letter for long-term disability, LASIKPlus and Dr. Rom had allegedly dropped him as a patient due to his public comments. The lawsuit contends that Kingerski's mental and emotional health deteriorated as his symptoms worsened, and that the surgery and its complications were the direct cause of his suicide.
Representatives for LASIKPlus and Dr. Rom could not be immediately reached for comment. In a statement, LASIK.com expressed devastation regarding Kingerski's death, acknowledging the emotional weight of the reports and the human desire for explanation. However, the statement urged a balanced perspective, emphasizing that LASIK outcomes are generally positive and that suicide causality is complex. It called for continued patient concern, consistent follow-up, meaningful informed consent, compassion, and nuance when tragedies occur.
Approximately 600,000 to 800,000 LASIK surgeries are performed annually in the U.S., with costs typically ranging from $4,000 to $6,000. The Kingerski family is seeking unspecified damages under Pennsylvania's wrongful death statute.