You've probably never lived with the level of pain she had to deal with.
This isn't eye strain. Imagine having hydrogen peroxide dripped in to your eyes, all day, every day, for the rest of your life. Attributing "rational" reactions to that level of pain is nonsense.
I may do it. Not 15 years ago...but as I get older, my eyes are getting so much worse that I'm having to start considering the 1 in 1000 chance of LASIK complications against the much higher chance that I'll have to go on disability within the next 10 years. But if I do choose that, I'll be fully cognizant of the risks.
Like anything...risk is involved, and you shouldn't blindly (so to speak) assume it's a panacea.