With any surgery, it’s natural to have some anxiety about what you’ll experience before, during, and after the day of the procedure. LASIK laser corrective eye surgery is no exception.
One of the most common questions we get when we meet with patients considering laser eye surgery is, “Does LASIK surgery hurt?”
The simple answer is no. LASIK is one of the most painless surgeries on the market for most of the patients who have it done. Here, we’ll discuss some of the reasons why LASIK eye surgery is able to correct patients’ vision and remain virtually pain-free.
What Should You Expect from LASIK?
LASIK involves using pulses of light to gently reshape the cornea and correct refractive vision issues, including:
Nearsightedness (myopia)
Farsightedness (hyperopia)
Astigmatism
The process of LASIK surgery is simple and quick, taking an average of only 10 minutes per eye. Understanding it can provide some insight into why LASIK is typically so painless.
Before: Corneal Scans
First, anywhere you go for LASIK will perform diagnostic scans to get a detailed picture of the surface and inside of your cornea. This allows your surgeon to confirm that it will be safe and effective to move forward with LASIK in your case. Modern scanning equipment is used to program the lasers used in LASIK for a more precise eye surgery.
During: LASIK Surgery
During the surgery is when most people want to know whether LASIK is painful, and they’re often shocked to find that it’s not. Here are a few reasons why:
Thorough Preparation: Before LASIK, your surgeon will put a few drops of a numbing agent into your eye, which feels no different than a standard lubricating eye drop but contains a local anesthetic which lasts through the surgery. LASIK surgery uses no heavy sedatives, meaning that you’ll be awake throughout. Your eyes will be numbed so you’ll only feel sensations during the surgery.
Modern technology: Today’s laser surgery equipment is as minimally invasive as possible, which helps provide a painless procedure. In the first step of LASIK surgery, your surgeon will create a flap in your cornea.
The result? At no time during LASIK surgery should you feel anything more than mild pressure on the eye. Normally, this comes when the corneal flap is made. The rest of the LASIK procedure is usually done with an Excimer laser, which provides a comfortable, cooling sensation.
After: Recovering from LASIK
Recovery times vary between patients, but the recovery from LASIK is usually minor. Most patients are able to see as well as they did with glasses from the very next day.
Do You See During LASIK Surgery?
Yes, because you will be awake and your eyes will be open during surgery, but you won’t be able to see much. Patients report seeing a bright ring of light that varies during the procedure, but nothing is clear or detailed while the surgery occurs.
What Happens if You Blink During LASIK?
If you blinked during LASIK, it would interrupt the surgery. This is why, during laser vision correction, a special device is used to hold the eyes open. The numbing agent used on your eyes suppresses your natural urge to blink, making the experience much more comfortable.
When patients come in for a consultation, they’re often surprised to learn how quick, easy, and virtually painless laser eye surgery can be. If you’re interested in learning more about LASIK surgery, contact us today.
This post originally appeared on King LASIK.