What to Expect When You Undergo LASIK Laser Eye Surgery
Before undergoing LASIK eye surgery, the first step is to schedule a consultation visit with the eye surgeon. The surgeon will examine your eyes to determine whether you are an ideal candidate for refractive surgery. Give yourself plenty of time to weigh your options before agreeing to undergo LASIK eye surgery.
Several weeks before surgery, you will have an appointment with the eye surgeon to measure your corneas. This step allows the surgeon to determine how much corneal tissue will be removed by the laser. Before this step of the process, stop wearing contact lenses for at least four weeks, because they change the shape of your cornea and will result in inaccurate measurements.
The day before your LASIK eye surgery, do not use any makeup, lotions, or creams in the eye area. Your doctor may give you some medication to help you relax on the day of the procedure. You also need to plan for someone to bring you to and from the surgery.
The surgery itself takes less than half an hour, even if both eyes are being corrected during the same session. You will lie on your back, and the doctor will treat your eyes with anesthetic eye drops. The procedure may be a little uncomfortable, but it should not be painful. An instrument will hold your eyelids open while the laser is in use. Your doctor may use a blade device to cut a flap in the cornea. Then, the laser will be used on the corneal tissue, carefully reshaping it to improve your vision.
You will be able to see during the procedure, but your vision will be blurry. The surgeon will ask you to stare at a light, which helps keep your eye fixed on one spot. The laser pulse is guided by a computer which has been set to vaporize a microscopic amount of the corneal tissue based on the measurements taken prior to the procedure. Once this tissue has been removed, the corneal flap is replaced over your eye, where it will adhere without the use of stitches.
Following the laser eye surgery, you may feel a little discomfort in the eye, as if something was in it. Your vision may be a little blurry until the eye fully heals, although many patients have reported immediate vision improvement following surgery. You may experience light sensitivity, glare, or halos around lights. Use medicated eye drops if they are prescribed by your surgeon. Do not rub your eyes or otherwise irritate them. Any symptoms should improve considerably within a day or two of surgery, and you may be able to return to work the day after the procedure. It may take up to six months for your vision to stabilize following laser eye surgery.