Can dry eyes that persist after LASIK be directly attributable to something that happens during the actual LASIK surgery?

When there are symptoms suggestive of any potential eye disease, I would recommend addressing the underlying problems first before embarking on any form of surgery, refractive surgery included. Complaints such those you described are suggestive of dry eye and refractive error instability which would warrant caution prior to making any decision for surgery. Should you have any concerns, it would be perfectly appropriate for you to raise them with your surgeon. Work closely with a trusted surgeon to decide on the best course forward. Otherwise, a second opinion could help allay your worries.

During a LASIK operation, a thin superficial layer of cornea is created and temporarily peeled back to allow laser treatment of the underlying tissue. This is called the ‘lasik flap’, and is what provides the quick and painless recovery after LASIK. Some nerve endings that go into the flap are ‘disconnected’ at the time, and this reduces the feedback that our tear glands get that stimulate tear production.