If you’ve been thinking about getting LASIK surgery, chances are you have some questions about what it’s actually like to undergo the procedure. On one hand, LASIK is a total game-changer that can allow you to experience life without contacts or glasses, not to mention can make a huge difference in the way you see the world. 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.
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. After all, not having to wear contacts or glasses ever again and still potentially be able to see clearly is a very exciting possibility for numerous 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.
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 meet with your LASIK surgeon for an initial evaluation appointment. Your LASIK surgeon will examine your eyes and determine whether you’re a strong candidate for laser eye surgery. According to ClearSight, LASIK surgery specialists in Oklahoma City, most people are surprised that not everyone is an ideal candidate for LASIK. If your surgeon decides that LASIK is a good fit for you based on multiple factors regarding your vision and overall health, he or she may recommend that you discontinue 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
It’s hard to believe, but your LASIK eye surgery will only take approximately 30 minutes or less! You’ll be placed in a reclining chair in an exam room, and have a numbing drop placed in each eye. 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 focused 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
As soon as your eye has been successfully treated with the laser, your LASIK surgeon will place a protective 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. This is a temporary side effect that 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?
We’ve covered the basics of what you can expect before, during, and after your LASIK surgery, but you still may be wondering exactly what it feels like to get the procedure done. After all, it seems like something that involves lasers being beamed into your eyes might hurt a bit, right?
Actually, LASIK surgery doesn’t hurt the way injuring your eye in another way might. 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 uncomfortable or awkward than truly 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. That plus the use of the suction device that creates the flap that allows the laser to reshape the cornea comprise the two least pleasant aspects of the procedure. You will not be the most comfortable you’ve ever felt in your life by a long shot, 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 appointment. Your LASIK surgeon will be able to share 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!
Hi, I am Subhajit Khara a lifestyle blogger. Besides blogging, I like to play cricket and watch CR7 playing. You can reach out to me at wittythink.com
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