LASIK surgery is a popular alternative to glasses and contacts that doesn’t involve the hassle of having to keep track of the latter when they’re lost and break. In this way, LASIK is considered economical and fashionable. But does Lasik eye surgery hurt?
However, many of the details of this procedure aren’t known to the general public. For example, there is a popular conception that LASIK surgery is painful. Despite these rumors, the procedure is actually quite painless.
Does Lasik Eye Surgery Hurt?
If you’re interested in receiving LASIK surgery, then take a look at this overview of the procedure, as well as why you shouldn’t fear any pain with regard to it.
Why Doesn’t LASIK hurt?
LASIK is painless due to the fact that your eye doctor takes a number of precautions to reduce and nullify the pain one experiences during the procedure. This is primarily achieved through the use of sedatives and anesthesia.
LASIK is simple enough that your physician will only have to apply anesthetic to the eyes themselves and not anesthesia to the entire body. This is known as local anesthetic. In the case of LASIK, just simple eye drops of anesthetic are applied to the eyes themselves.
In addition, a sedative is applied to the patient to reduce pain during the procedure. This entails staying awake during the entire procedure, as you’ll have to look at a target light throughout the process. However, the procedure is considered relatively comfortable.
Should I Expect Discomfort?
Although LASIK isn’t considered painful, there is a possibility that some patients may find it slightly uncomfortable due to the fact that they are awake during the procedure. Your physician will be poking and prodding various parts of your body with instruments, which you’ll be aware of for the entire duration of the procedure.
However, every step will be taken in order to ensure that your comfort and safety are maintained throughout the duration of your procedure.
Post-LASIK Tips
It’s quite normal to experience some slight discomfort directly after your LASIK procedure. However, this type of discomfort should be relatively minimal. The pain that you feel after the procedure is often due to inflammation that is experienced in the postoperative period. You will be prescribed antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to minimize inflammation and keep the possibility of infection to a minimum.
The good news about this type of discomfort is that it usually subsides in the first couple of hours after your procedure. In addition, there are several other steps you can take to reduce the amount of pain that you feel during the procedure. Some of the following are included:
- Keep your eyes closed and attempt to get some sleep in the first hours after your surgery
- Prioritize getting some rest and relaxation after your procedure
- Wear sunglasses if you anticipate heavy sun exposure
- Avoid dusty and smoky environments
- Use any medications prescribed by your physician as they advise that you use it
- Make sure to catch up on any follow-up appointments
In addition, there are some activities that you should avoid if possible. This includes:
- Excessive rubbing of your eyes
- Wearing makeup or lotion around the eyes
- Playing high-impact sports
- Swimming in chlorinated hot tubs and swimming pools
- Drive, especially at night
- Use your medications other than prescribed
Possible Side Effects of LASIK
There are some mild side effects that one can anticipate during a LASIK procedure. Some of these include:
- Burning sensations
- Stinging
- Dryness
- Halos, glare, and other vision abnormalities
Some of the unexpected complications of LASIK surgery can include things like the following:
- Worsening vision
- Infection
- Corneal flap issues
- Corneal ectasia
- Possible under-correction or over-correction of the vision
If you experience severe pain after your LASIK procedure, it could be a signal that there is a complication of some kind. Be sure to call your doctor if you experience anything like this.
Generally speaking, LASIK is a quick and mostly painless procedure that should only take about 20 minutes in total. In general, most patients find that it results in vastly improved vision. The procedure is one of the most common vision correction procedures performed today. Most of the hundreds of thousands of patients who receive this treatment experience no abnormalities at all.
The Best Eye Doctor in Mission Viejo
Dr. Ghosheh and the rest of the team at Advanced Eye Medical are completely dedicated to giving patients the best in terms of LASIK treatment. If you would like to discuss a scheduled treatment or are just interested in the procedure, contact Advanced Eye Medical today to make an appointment.