Have you been thinking about getting LASIK surgery? After all, undergoing a laser eye surgery procedure may be a total game-changer that allows you to experience life without contacts or glasses, not to mention can make a huge difference in the way you see the world. So we probably don’t have to convince you that getting LASIK may be of enormous benefit to you as a way to simplify your daily routine. Not having to wear contacts or glasses ever again and still potentially be able to see clearly is a very exciting possibility for a number of LASIK patients. Not surprisingly, LASIK has become extremely popular since its inception in 1999- an estimated 10 million Americans have undergone a LASIK eye surgery procedure over the past two decades.
However, as with any surgical treatment, LASIK comes with a few risks that it’s important to know about before deciding whether it is right for you, and these risks may be something you’re concerned about. For example, LASIK patients sometimes report mild after-effects, such as dry, irritated eyes, tearing, and discomfort, in the days and weeks following surgery. Only your LASIK surgeon will be able to tell you whether laser eye surgery is a good fit for you. We’re here to clue you in on what it’s like before, during, and after a LASIK procedure.
Before Treatment
Prior to undergoing LASIK eye surgery, you will need to schedule an initial evaluation appointment with your LASIK surgeon. This will allow him or her to examine your eyes and determine whether you’re a good candidate for laser eye surgery. If your surgeon decides that LASIK is a good fit for you based on a number of factors regarding your vision and overall health, he or she may recommend that you refrain from wearing contact lenses in the weeks leading up to your surgery, since contacts can affect the shape of your cornea, which can lead to inaccurate measurements and the possibility of poor vision following surgery.
During Treatment
Believe it or not, your LASIK eye surgery will only take approximately 30 minutes or less, during which you will be reclined in a chair in an exam room. A numbing drop will be placed in each eye, and then the area
around the eye will be cleaned and an instrument called a lid speculum will hold your eye open. Your LASIK surgeon may use a device called a mechanical microkeratome to cut a small flap on your cornea to allow the laser to penetrate your eye. Some surgeons use laser keratomes, which perform the same function with lasers rather than a blade.
You will then be asked to stare at a laser positioned over your eye. However, this is not the laser that is actually performing the surgery, but rather a light to keep you fixated on one spot once the surgical laser comes on. Once your eye is in position, your LASIK surgeon will start the surgical laser, and the procedure will be underway!
After Treatment
Once your eye has been successfully treated with the laser, your LASIK surgeon will place a shield over it to keep your corneal stitches from opening. You will need to keep this shield in place over the next several
days to avoid rubbing or touching your eye, as well as to avoid accidental injury. Immediately following surgery, it’s normal to experience itching or burning, as well as the sensation that something is in your eyes.
According to ClearSight, which provides LASIK eye surgery in OKC, this is all temporary and should subside after a few days. However, if these sensations continue for a prolonged period of time, or if you are experiencing any other side effects or symptoms, contact your LASIK surgeon immediately.
What Does it Feel Like to Get LASIK?
Now that we’ve covered the basics of what you can expect before, during, and after your LASIK surgery, you still may be wondering exactly how it feels to get the procedure done. After all, we’re talking about something that involves lasers being beamed into your eyes- doesn’t that hurt? The short answer? No. LASIK surgery doesn’t hurt the way injuring your eye in another way might. For instance, if you’re nervous about actual pain, you can rest assured that you won’t be experiencing it from a normal LASIK procedure.
However, we’d be lying if we said there was no discomfort whatsoever as you are undergoing the LASIK procedure. People who have had LASIK describe the feeling as more awkward and uncomfortable than painful, mainly due to the fact that the eye has to be held open for a prolonged period of time with the speculum by your LASIK surgeon, as well as use the suction device to create the flap so that he or she can use the laser to reshape the cornea. As you can imagine, this will not be the most comfortable you’ve ever felt in your life, but it won’t hurt either!
You won’t feel the actual surgery taking place; that is, there will be no specific sensation associated with the laser reshaping your cornea. Since you will be asked to look at a light as the procedure is taking place, this is once again going to feel a little awkward and uncomfortable, but you will feel no pain associated with the laser.
Bottom line: there will be a little discomfort here and there as you are getting your LASIK surgery, but it is nothing to be concerned or scared about…and when you think of the possibility of seeing the world clearly without the aid of contacts or glasses, you’ll probably agree that it’s well worth it
If you’re ready to begin your LASIK journey, now’s the time to take the first step and schedule your initial consultation. Your LASIK surgeon will have much more information about your specific situation in order to help you make the best choice and determine whether LASIK is right for you. If you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, it can be the beginning of a whole new world without glasses or contacts!
Read about ActiveMyHome.