Latest news with #RyanKingerski
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Young police officer dies by suicide after 'debilitating' laser eye surgery complications
A young Pennsylvania man recently took his own life, months after he underwent corrective laser eye surgery. His parents blame their son's suicide on the "debilitating" side effects he experienced, but vision experts claim that the procedure is generally "safe and effective." Ryan Kingerski, 26, a young officer with the Penn Hills Police Department, was "funny and witty — just a genuine person," according to Tim and Stefanie Kingerski, who spoke with Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview. (See the video at the top of this article.) Common Aging Symptom Could Worsen Loneliness In Seniors "Ryan would always try and help in some way, even if it was a stranger," Stefanie Kingerski said. "He was just a very sincere person — he meant what he said and he said what he meant. He was passionate." Ryan was very close with his twin brother, Jacob, as they both followed in their father's footsteps to enter law enforcement. He enjoyed playing golf and spending time with his friends and girlfriend, his parents said. Read On The Fox News App In August 2025, he underwent LASIK eye surgery, a decision that "changed his life forever," according to the Kingerskis. He had worn glasses and contacts since middle school, but he opted for the surgery so that he wouldn't need them anymore. "My son was told he would go in, have the procedure and be back to work in a couple of days," said Tim Kingerski. "That never happened." Girl Desperate To See The World Before She Goes Completely Blind On the way home from the surgery, Ryan said that "something wasn't right," complaining that his right eye was blurry. "We told him to give it some time, but it just got worse," his father said. As the weeks progressed, the young man suffered from a litany of symptoms, including severe headaches, double vision, starbursts, ghosting, halos and other visual disturbances, his parents said. "It was complication after complication and no improvement," Stefanie Kingerski said. "We made continuous efforts to see different specialists, trying to get different opinions … They just kept saying he needed to heal." Ryan's mother claimed the laser surgery left her son with "higher-order aberrations," which are distortions in the eye that cause visual disturbances. One corneal specialist said that Ryan had very thin corneas, which should have ruled out the surgery. "In a nutshell, he was not a candidate, and they should have caught that and they should have warned him," his mother said. Elton John's Vision Loss: How An Eye Infection Can Cause Blindness As the effects got worse, Ryan withdrew from the activities he once loved and became very reserved, his parents said. In Jan. 2025, five months after the surgery, he took his own life. "The note that we got left was: 'LASIK took everything from me. I can't take it anymore,'" Tim Kingerski said. "It ruined his life. It debilitated him." Ryan's parents are adamant that his suicide was not the result of preexisting mental health issues. "If this was a mental health issue and something my son was dealing with before, I wouldn't be talking about this," said Tim Kingerski. "But there's only one reason he's not here." The Kingerskis have since connected with other families who have had similar experiences. "We hear from people constantly who just say, 'I don't know if I can do this anymore. I don't know if I can take it,'" Ryan's father said. Baby's Adorable Reaction To His New Glasses Attracts Worldwide Attention: 'Melts Hearts' Ryan's parents now aim to raise awareness and are calling for "transparency and accountability." They have also filed a complaint with the FDA. "What we're really looking for is accountability from the industry," said Stefanie Kingerski. "We want the FDA to step up, start investigating, start looking deeper, start finding out what the long-term effects are." "The implied consent is just a piece of paper that they give you without explaining," Tim Kingerski noted. "The consent form should say that LASIK can and has caused permanent damage that makes you want to kill yourself, because that is a fact." He added, "People are being hurt every day by something that is touted as safe and effective, which we can tell you it's not." Previous suicides have been reported following laser eye surgeries. In 2018, Jessica Starr, a Michigan meteorologist, took her own life two months after the procedure. She had experienced chronic dry eye and blurry vision, according to local reports. Starr left behind video journals detailing her struggles, saying she had lived "six weeks of hell." In 2016, a Texas college student, Max Cronin, committed suicide at age 27. His obituary states that his death was the result of "devastating complications from an elective laser eye surgery." Dr. James Kelly, M.D., a renowned refractive surgeon specialist and comprehensive ophthalmologist in New York City, said he is not aware of peer-reviewed literature that reports higher rates of suicide in patients who have had LASIK versus the same matched population demographics that have not had the procedure. Rare Spinal Cancer Tumor Removed Through Patient's Eye At University Hospital "The most common side effect is dry eye, for which there are many effective treatments, and the condition often improves in the several months after the procedure," he said. "The most important message to patients who are having eye problems is to seek the care of an experienced professional, and the same is true for anyone experiencing mental health conditions." The Refractive Surgery Council, an organization that aims to "help people make informed decisions about their vision correction choices," spoke to Fox News Digital in defense of these procedures. "An enormous body of scientific data supports LASIK as both safe and effective for those who are good candidates, a fact the FDA has repeatedly affirmed and validated with independent research," a spokesperson said. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter For those considering a vision correction procedure, the council recommends being "as informed as possible," which includes understanding whether they are a good candidate, choosing the right surgeon and having a thorough conversation with the care team. "As with all surgical procedures, there is a risk of side effects and complications from LASIK," the spokesperson noted. "Clinical research finds serious sight-threatening LASIK complications occur in less than 1% of patients." The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) also commented to Fox News Digital about the situation. "While we don't know the clinical details of Ryan's case, we do know that the answer to the question of why a person chooses to die by suicide is complex and most often related to depression and emotional trauma," said Stephen D. McLeod, M.D., CEO of the AOO. "We have no idea what role LASIK itself might have played. Regardless, this is a tragedy, and our hearts go out to Ryan Kingerski's family." The academy noted that while "most patients" are good candidates, "LASIK is not for everyone." For more Health articles, visit "The academy recommends patients talk with their ophthalmologist to understand the potential risks and to ensure they are a good candidate," McLeod advised. "An ophthalmologist is the most qualified physician to advise patients on all types of refractive surgery." Fox News Digital reached out to LASIK and to the FDA requesting article source: Young police officer dies by suicide after 'debilitating' laser eye surgery complications
Toronto Sun
23-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Sun
Doctors, patients warn of Lasik eye surgery perils after cop takes own life
Ryan Kingerski, Pennsylvania police officer who took his own life after complications from Lasik eye surgery. The recent suicide of a young Pennsylvania police officer has revealed the agonizing aftermath for some over Lasik eye surgery. Ryan Kingerski, a 26-year-old officer with the Penn Hills Police Department, took his own life after months of excruciating pain, double vision and chronic headaches due to complications from the surgery. Now, more people have emerged to reveal that Kingerski's situation is not an isolated one. 'Everyone has different problems when it comes to Lasik,' Miami-based optometrist Edward Boshnick told the New York Post . He referred to the surgery as a 'BS procedure' and 'the biggest scam ever put on the American public.' Boshnick added: 'And it's a multibillion-dollar business.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Providers of Lasik eye surgery, or laser vision correction, say it is 95% to 99% safe. The 'simple' procedure uses an ultraviolet laser to reshape the cornea, improving vision without glasses or contact lenses. Morris Waxler, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration branch responsible for reviewing data and approving the Lasik operation decades ago, now regrets the decision. He told CBS in 2019 that his own analysis of industry data showed complication rates between 10% and 30%, and in 2011, he petitioned the FDA to issue a voluntary recall of LASIK, the Post reported. 'It didn't matter what questions and concerns I had, because the surgeons were very powerful and still are,' Waxler said. In 2018, Jessica Starr, a meteorologist in Detroit, hanged herself two months after undergoing Lasik due to intense eye pain and vision problems, according to her husband Dan Rose. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The widower told WJBK that Starr left behind a 30-page suicide note and videos, which explained her decision to take her own life was due to the elective surgery. TV meteorologist Jessica Starr who took her own life following Lasik surgery. (Facebook) Facebook Former LASIK patient Paula Cofer, of Tampa, Florida, told the publication she had suicidal ideations for two years after her 'disastrous' surgery in 2000. She also claimed to know of at least 40 people who took their own lives because they couldn't stand the constant pain and vision problems that developed after the procedure. 'I really didn't want to stick around at times, but I decided I would to get the word out about how dangerous this surgery can be,' she said. 'The LASIK lobby and the surgeons will tell you only 1% of patients have issues afterward. That's not true. There are multiple studies that indicate otherwise.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Cofer added: 'The percentage of those with poor outcomes are in the double digits, not 1%. And they know it.' She acknowledged that not everyone has severe complications but 'a lot more people are suffering than you know,' noting that she suffers from 'floaters, severe dry eyes, induced astigmatism and severe night vision problems.' RECOMMENDED VIDEO Officer Kingerski, who underwent LASIK in August 2024, had similar symptoms. His parents, Tim and Stefanie Kingerski, told KDKA about the side effects their son suffered post-surgery, including headaches and double vision, and seeing dark spots and floaters — small spots that appear as streaks. 'He kept saying how bad the pain in his head was. He had a terrible headache and wasn't able to focus, and the vision and the blurriness and everything else — and that just continued,' his parents said. 'Regret was the big thing,' Stefanie said of their son, who would question, ''Why would they do this to me? Why would they not tell me?'' Read More Ryan took his own life in January. 'He left us a note that said, 'I can't take this anymore. Lasik took everything from me.' That's the note that we got left,' Tim said. Stefanie added: 'That's what we were left with.' Canada Music Celebrity Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Alarming number of Lasik eye surgery patients who took their own lives revealed after police officer's suicide
The recent suicide of a young Pennsylvania police officer has reignited concerns over Lasik eye surgery, as dozens more were pushed to the brink of death over similar complications. Ryan Kingerski, a 26-year-old officer with the Penn Hills Police Department, took his own life after months of excruciating pain, double vision and persistent headaches. He claimed the Lasik eye surgery he underwent five months earlier was the source of his suffering. Now, as more horror stories of agonizing symptoms surface, it's becoming increasingly clear that Kingerski's case is not isolated. 'Everyone has different problems when it comes to Lasik,' Edward Boshnick, a Miami-based eye doctor, told The New York Post. 'It's the biggest scam ever put on the American public... and it's a multi-billion dollar business.' Lasik eye surgery, or laser vision correction, is marketed by providers as 95 to 99 percent safe. The so-called 'simple' procedure uses an ultraviolet laser to reshape the cornea, improving vision without glasses or contacts. Morris Waxler, 89, was the former head of the Food and Drug Administration branch responsible for reviewing data and approving the Lasik operation decades ago - a decision he now regrets. Ryan Kingerski (pictured), a 26-year-old officer with the Penn Hills Police Department, took his own life after months of excruciating pain, double vision and persistent headaches - claiming the Lasik surgery he underwent five months earlier was the source of his suffering 'It didn't matter what questions and concerns I had, because the surgeons were very powerful and still are,' he told The Post. He had petitioned the FDA to revoke its approval of the Lasik procedure after his own analysis revealed complication rates between 10 to 30 percent - a staggering contrast to the 'less than one percent' figure cited by providers. In 2018, Detroit TV meteorologist Jessica Starr hanged herself at just 35-years-old, leaving behind a 30-page suicide note and videos blaming her tragic decision on the elective surgery. She documented her struggles in video diary entries. In one recording, she spoke about feeling mad at herself for deciding to go through with the procedure. According to her family, Starr reached out to various eye doctors and even sought help with a therapist, but her emotional state continued deteriorating. The young mother ultimately took her own life after struggling with intense pain and vision problems in the two months since her surgery. 'Prior to the procedure, Jessica was completely normal, very healthy,' Dan Rose, Starr's widower, told The Post. 'There was no depression... no underlying issue.' Also in 2018, Paul Fitzpatrick, a Canadian father-of-two, killed himself and blamed 20 years of post-Lasik pain in his suicide note. In the years following his operation, Fitzpatrick suffered headaches and described feeling needles in his eyes as well as an unbearable dry and burning sensation. His family said in the months leading up to his death, the pain was so unbearable he would keep his eyes closed for most of the time, walking with a cane and planned to move in with his parents. He left a suicide note when he took his life in October of 2018, which described the pain he felt that pushed him to death. 'I cannot experience any type of pleasure anymore,' Fitzpatrick wrote. 'Just the pain of burning eyes inside my head and throughout myself… Since 1996 Pain, pain and more pain, please forgive me for not being strong enough to cope. The past few months have been unbearable.' Gloria McConnell had two Lasik procedures to fix her short-sightedness in 2019. Serious complications arose a few weeks after the surgery, including eyes so dry they had a burning sensation, mites and ingrown hairs in her eyelashes. Four years later, she was barely able to leave her bed. Fitzpatrick's family said in the months leading up to his death, the pain was so unbearable he would keep his eyes closed for most of the time, walking with a cane and planned to move in with his parents (pictured) She died by suicide aged 60. Her son said she left a note to her family in which she explained that the pain from the bungled surgery formed part of her decision to end her life. McConnell even submitted a comment to the FDA's draft recommendations which said: '[LASIK] has destroyed my life.' In August of 2024, Kingerski took some time off his dream job as a police officer to get Lasik and improve his vision - a decision that seemed safe given the demands of his career. However, he would tragically never wear his uniform again, as what his parents described as a 'tragically unsuccessful surgery' transformed him from a smiling, vibrant person to someone unrecognizable. The operation left him with debilitating side effects - headaches, dark spots floating in his eye sight, double vision and extreme sensitivity. In January, still without relief or answers, Kingerski ended his life. In a heartbreaking suicide note, he wrote: 'I can't take this anymore. Lasik took everything from me'. Paula Cofer, one Lasik survivor, shared that she endured two years of suicidal thoughts following her 'disastrous' procedure back in 2000, The Post reported. In Lasik and similar surgeries, a small flap is cut into the cornea, which is then raised slightly. This reshaping changes the way that light is refracted to make up for nearsightedness or farsightedness that occur when light doesn't hit the proper spot on the retina. 'The Lasik lobby and the surgeons will tell you only one percent of patients have issues afterward,' the 66-year-old woman told the outlet. 'That's not true. There are multiple studies that indicate otherwise.' 'The percentage of those with poor outcomes are in the double digits, not one percent,' she added. 'And they know it.' In a shocking twist, Cofer claimed to have known at least 40 people who have taken their own lives after Lasik - unable to go on living with the constant pain and vision problems developed after the procedure, The Post reported. As a way to spread awareness, Cofer runs the Lasik Complications Support Group on Facebook - just one of many organizations on social media created in response to the unspoken dangers of Lasik. 'I really didn't want to stick around at times, but I decided I would to get the word out about how dangerous this surgery can be,' she told the outlet. 'If you understand Lasik and what it does to the eyes and cornea, you realize you can't do it on a healthy eye and not expect complications,' she added. In Lasik and similar surgeries, a small flap is cut into the cornea, which is then raised slightly. This reshaping changes the way that light is refracted to make up for nearsightedness or farsightedness that occur when light doesn't hit the proper spot on the retina. 'Not everyone has severe complications but a lot more people are suffering than you know,' Cofer said. 'I got floaters, severe dry eyes, induced astigmatism and severe night vision problems.' More than 10 million Americans have undergone the procedure since Lasik was FDA approved in 1999, according to the medical journal Clinical Ophthalmology, which reports that 700,000 to 800,000 opt for laser vision correction each year. Abraham Rutner, a 43-year-old Brooklyn electrician, was one of the lucky ones - miraculously finding a sliver of hope after his failed Lasik procedure five years ago. 'It's like you have a layer of oil on top of your eye - it was so hazy and terrible,' he told The Post. 'I couldn't work. I couldn't drive. I felt like I was still a young man and I lost my life.' However, he heard about Dr. Boshnick's work, whose optometric practice offers vision and comfort restoration due to a variety of eye conditions and surgeries - including Lasik. Rutner was eventually fitted with a scleral lens, a specialized contact that covers and protects corneas damaged by Lasik. Cofer said she was also fitted with the lens - and that it has provided significant relief. The FDA does warn on its website that the procedure carries risks, including vision loss, glare, halos, double vision and other 'debilitating visual symptoms'. According to The American Refractive Surgery Council's website, 'Lasik is safe and is one of the most studied elective surgical procedures available today... the rate of sight-threatening complications from Lasik eye surgery is estimated to be well below one percent.' However, for some experts like Boshnick, Lasik is nothing more than a 'BS procedure', according to The Post. 'People come in with healthy eyes and all they need is eyeglasses,' Waxler told the outlet. 'But when surgeons cut the cornea they are removing nerves and leaving the corneas with odd shapes and some patients will have intractable pain.'
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Doctors, former patients warn of LASIK eye surgery dangers: ‘Biggest scam ever put on the American public'
The suicide of a 26-year-old Pennsylvania police officer over the after-effects of the popular eye surgery LASIK was not an isolated incident, with others saying it left them with agonizing and life changing symptoms, patients and doctors told The Post. LASIK providers say the procedure is 95% to 99% safe, but one LASIK survivor said she had suicidal ideations for two years after her 'disastrous' surgery in 2000. She also claimed to know of at least 40 people to have taken their own lives because they couldn't take constant pain and vision problems, developed after the procedure. Advertisement 8 Ryan Kingerski, 26, died by suicide after undergoing LASIK surgery in 2024. Family Handout 8 Tim and Stefanie Kingerski said Ryan suffered headaches, double vision, seeing dark spots and floaters — tiny spots that appear as streaks or cobweb-like shapes across a person's field of vision — after LASIK surgery. CBS Pittsburgh 'I really didn't want to stick around at times, but I decided I would to get the word out about how dangerous this surgery can be,' Paula Cofer, 66, of Tampa, Fla., told The Post Wednesday. Advertisement 'The LASIK lobby and the surgeons will tell you only one percent of patients have issues afterward. That's not true. There are multiple studies that indicate otherwise. 'The percentage of those with poor outcomes are in the double digits, not one percent. And they know it,' she claimed. Since LASIK was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1999 over 10 million people in the US have undergone Laser Vision Correction, according to the medical journal Clinical Ophthalmology, which states between 700,000 and 800,000 people sign up for it each year. Cofer runs the Lasik Complications Support Group on Facebook, one of numerous organizations on social media which have sprung up in response to LASIK procedures gone wrong. Advertisement 8 Laser vision correction being carried out by a doctor. Vadim – 'If you understand Lasik and what it does to the eyes and cornea, you realize you can't do it on a healthy eye and not expect complications,' Cofer said. The procedure — Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis — reshapes the cornea of the eye. 'Not everyone has severe complications but a lot more people are suffering than you know. I got floaters, severe dry eyes, induced astigmatism and severe night vision problems,' said Cofer. Advertisement Ryan Kingerski, 26 — the cop who died by suicide after taking time off from the Penn Hills Police Department in Allegheny County, Penn. last August to undergo LASIK — had similar symptoms. His grieving parents, Tim and Stefanie Kingerski, told CBS News this week about the hell their son went through after the procedure. The Kingerskis said Ryan began suffering from headaches, double vision, seeing dark spots and floaters — tiny spots that appear as streaks or cobweb-like shapes across a person's field of vision, they said. 8 Paula Cofer, 66, started the Lasik Complications Support Group on Facebook to help others after suffering complications from her own procedure. Courtesy of Paula Cofer 8 Fox 2 Detroit meteorologist Jessica Starr took her own life and left a note and videos explaining it was because of the complications she suffered after undergoing LASIK surgery. Facebook Ryan's parents told a story similar to that of Detroit TV meteorologist Jessica Starr's widower, Dan Rose, who said she took her own life after struggling with intense eye pain and vision problems following laser eye surgery. The 35-year-old mother hanged herself on Dec. 12, 2018, just two months after undergoing LASIK to correct her vision. 'Prior to the procedure, Jessica was completely normal, very healthy,' Rose told WJBK in 2019. 'There was no depression … no underlying issue.' Advertisement Rose said his wife left behind a 30-page suicide note and videos, which made it clear the decision to end her life was because of the elective surgery. Morris Waxler, now 89, was an FDA advisor who headed the branch responsible for reviewing data on LASIK between 1996 and 2000, which covers the period it was approved. 8 A patient undergoing eye surgery mehmet – 8 Morris Waxler says he regrets approving the use of LASIK when he worked for the FDA and has been speaking out publicly about its dangers since 2010. Vadim – Advertisement It's a decision he told The Post he regrets — and has been speaking out publicly about LASIK's dangers since 2010. 'It didn't matter what questions and concerns I had, because the surgeons were very powerful and still are,' he claimed. Waxler has previously told CBS in 2019 his own analysis of industry data showed complication rates between 10% and 30% and in 2011, he petitioned the FDA to issue a voluntary recall of LASIK. 'People come in with healthy eyes and all they need is eyeglasses. But when surgeons cut the cornea they are removing nerves and leaving the corneas with odd shapes and some patients will have intractable pain,' he added. Advertisement The FDA warns on its website there are risks to undergoing LASIK including losing vision, glare, halos, and/or double vision and other 'debilitating visual symptoms'. However, The American Refractive Surgery Council says on its website: 'LASIK is safe and is one of the most studied elective surgical procedures available today … the rate of sight-threatening complications from LASIK eye surgery is estimated to be well below one percent.' 8 Dr. Edward Boshnick's practice is dedicated to restoring vision and comfort to people affected by eye conditions. He calls LASIK a 'BS procedure'. For Abraham Rutner, 43, a Brooklyn electrician, there was hope after his failed LASIK surgery five years ago. Advertisement 'It's like you have a layer of oil on top of your eye — it was so hazy and terrible,' Rutner told The Post. 'I couldn't work. I couldn't drive. I felt like I was still a young man and I lost my life.' Then he heard about 84-year-old Edward Boshnick, a Miami eye doctor whose optometric practice is dedicated to restoring vision and comfort lost due to a variety of eye conditions and surgeries, including LASIK, keratoconus and corneal trauma. Dr. Boshnick, whose website is called Eyefreedom, fitted Rutner with something called a scleral lens which fits over corneas damaged by LASIK. Paula Cofer also said she got fitted with the lens, which has helped her too. Boshnick told The Post 'Everyone has different problems when it comes to LASIK, and called it a 'BS procedure.' 'It's the biggest scam ever put on the American public,' he said. 'And it's a multi-billion dollar business.'
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Pennsylvania cop died by suicide after suffering nightmare complications from Lasik eye surgery
A young Pennsylvania police officer took his own life after he suffered from side effects caused by elective eye surgery, according to his family. Ryan Kingerski, 26, took time off from his job at the Penn Hills Police Department in August to undergo the popular eye surgery, LASIK, in hopes it would improve his vision, his grieving parents, Tim and Stefanie Kingerski, told CBS News Tuesday. However, he began suffering from painful side effects, including headaches, double vision, seeing dark spots and floaters — tiny spots that appear as streaks or cobweb-like shapes across a person's field of vision, they said. Advertisement 6 Police officer Ryan Kingerski took his life after suffering from complications following LASIK eye surgery. Family Handout His parents said their son was 'full of regret,' and they tried finding specialists in hopes of locating some remedy to help with his pain, but nothing was helping. The young police officer then killed himself in January — five months after the surgery. Advertisement 'He left us a note that said, 'I can't take this anymore. LASIK took everything from me.' That's the note that we got left,' his dad told CBS News. 'That's what we were left with,' his heartbroken mother added. The cop was 'witty, charming, smart' and had a passion for police work from a young age, his parents said. He followed in his father's footsteps, and along with his twin brother Jacob, they both became cops. 6 His grieving parents, Stefanie and Tim Kingerski, said they never imagined what harm the side effects could cause. WTAE Advertisement When Kingerski eventually told his parents that he wanted to undergo the surgery, they said they were more worried about the dangers he faced on the street as a police officer. 'We had no thought of that,' his mother said, with Tim adding they believed LASIK was a 'simple and effective, routine surgery' that would have him 'back to work in a couple of days.' However, their son never returned to duty. 'It just … it ruined his life. Ruined it. Completely ruined his life in 12 seconds,' Tim told WTAE News. Advertisement 6 His parents said that they were more worried about the dangers their son faced on the street as a police officer than about him undergoing the surgery. CBS Pittsburgh Kingerski's parents said the pain of losing their son is unimaginable — and decided to share his story with others before they consider undergoing LASIK just as he would have if he were still alive. 'He didn't want anyone else to ever feel the same way, and he wanted people to know the facts,' Stefanie said. LASIK, which stands for 'Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis,' was approved by the FDA for correction of refractive errors, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, in 1999. 6 The young police officer committed suicide in January — five months after the surgery. Family Handout The former head of the FDA branch responsible for reviewing data and approving LASIK decades ago, Morris Waxler, told WTAE News that the surgery was originally approved for 100 clinical trials, but he left the organization soon after. He has since petitioned the FDA to withdraw its approval of LASIK over the years, but was denied. Waxler also reiterated that Kingerski's story should not be ignored. Advertisement 'They cut nerves, then, in addition, they take out a divot, which removes all the support structure or muscle out of the support section and all of it,' Waxler said. 6 LASIK, which stands for 'Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis,' was approved by the FDA for correction of refractive errors, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, in 1999. michaelvaulin – 'Sometimes it grows back, sometimes it doesn't grow back, sometimes it grows back poorly. For some people, it's a bigger problem than others.' It's estimated that 700,000 to 800,000 people undergo LASIK surgeries every year in the US, according to the National Institutes of Health. Advertisement The rate of serious, sight-threatening LASIK complications is less than 1%, according to the American Refractive Surgery Council. 6 His parents — who described their son as 'witty, charming, smart,' who had a passion for police work from a young age — followed in his father's footsteps, and along with his twin brother Jacob, they both became cops. Family Handout Kingerski's parents still encourage anyone thinking about getting the surgery to do extensive research beforehand, and stressed anyone suffering with complications from LASIK to join support groups and reach out for crisis and suicide prevention services if they feel as their son did. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to
