LASIK eye surgery is a simple procedure. Though you are awake, numbing eye drops combined with medication will help you stay calm and unbothered by the procedure. “The LASIK procedure lasts approximately twenty minutes for both eyes,” said Dr. Altemus.
Unlike many other surgeries, it is not necessary to have general anesthesia (be put to sleep) for LASIK eye surgery, and in fact, it is necessary that you are awake for the procedure.
Among the most frequently asked questions: What happens if I sneeze or blink during my LASIK surgery? The short answer: Blinking or sneezing will not affect the outcome of your surgery.
Rest Your Eyes
Sleeping a minimum of 6 hours will help your corneas continue to heal. If you have insomnia, or “just don't need much sleep,” you should consult with your surgeon to discuss the best way to give your eyes the rest they need during the first couple of nights after your LASIK surgery.
Just as eye drops and a lid spectrum mean blinking cannot disrupt Laser Eye Surgery, eye-tracking technology prevents coughing, sneezing, or jumping from affecting the results of the procedure.
Should you sneeze during the procedure, the laser will simply shut off and readjust. Once you have settled back into a still position, the laser will resume, perfectly centered, to complete treatment. Sneezing, blinking, coughing or any other involuntary movement will not affect the outcome of the LASIK procedure.
Is LASIK Eye Surgery Painful? Fortunately, LASIK eye surgery is not painful. Right before your procedure, your surgeon will place numbing eye drops into both of your eyes. While you may still feel a little bit of pressure during the procedure, you should not feel any pain.
When Can I Drive After LASIK? It is typically okay 24 hours after your LASIK eye surgery to resume driving. Your first post-operative appointment will be the day following your LASIK. Once your vision has been checked and deemed to be legal driving vision you are good to get back behind the wheel.
Most LASIK patients return to work within 48 hours of surgery, while for LASEK patients it may take up to seven days. Your surgeon and optometrist will take into account your personal situation, occupation and working environment and offer the best advice for you.
Avoid pools, whirlpools, saunas, and lakes for at least 3 weeks. No eye makeup for at least a week. Toss out partly used products to avoid an infection. Don't get your hair colored or permed for at least 10 days.
A small instrument is placed over your eye that gently works to help keep your eye open, still and steady during the procedure.
Immediately after the procedure, your eye may burn, itch, or feel like there is something in it. You may experience some discomfort, or in some cases, mild pain and your doctor may suggest you take a mild pain reliever. Both your eyes may tear or water. Your vision will probably be hazy or blurry.
Depending on the type of laser your eye surgeon uses, many platforms have a contoured headrest that snugly supports the head during the procedure. Your LASIK surgeon may carefully hold your head in position to help you stay steady during specific stages of the procedure.
Wear the plastic shield(s) or goggles every night for the next 5 nights. This prevents you from rubbing your eye(s) while sleeping. For the first two weeks following surgery, wear sunglasses when you are outdoors, even when it is cloudy.
You are advised to wear the goggles while you sleep for a week to two weeks after surgery, when your eyes will be at their most vulnerable to damage if you scratch or otherwise disturb them.
Most people who undergo LASIK surgery will have good to excellent vision in most situations, for many years or decades. You'll be able to play sports and swim, or even just see the clock first thing in the morning, without having to worry about your glasses or contact lenses.
Are there any risks? Most people have some visual side effects and discomfort in the weeks or months after surgery but these should gradually settle down. Serious complications are more common after RLE than after laser eye surgery or PIOL surgery. About 1 in 500 people have significant loss of vision after RLE.
Nunnery advise patients that it is okay to bathe or shower normally the day after LASIK eye surgery. Yet, for the first week after your LASIK surgery, it's important to keep water, soap, hair care products and/or washing liquids away from the eye. Do not rub your eyes while bathing or showering after LASIK.
LASIK surgery is usually completed in 30 minutes or less. During the procedure, you lie on your back in a reclining chair. You may be given medicine to help you relax.
Many patients' vision starts to return to normal within 48 hours, though others' can take up to a week to seem right.
You have a disease or are on medications that may affect wound healing. Certain conditions, such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency states (e.g., HIV) and diabetes, and some medications (e.g., retinoic acid and steroids) may prevent proper healing after a refractive procedure.
Many patients worry about pain, of not being in control, what could go wrong, or of being awake for the procedure. Know that LASIK is painless, thanks to numbing eye drops, and most patients feel little more than slight pressure, if anything. Your eyes will be immobile, even though you're awake.
How should I sleep after LASIK? Generally speaking, lying face up or on the side that wasn't operated on allows you to rest or sleep. It would help if you slept raised on pillows after some surgeries to reduce swelling. You should typically put a plastic shield over your eye to relieve pressure.
During the procedure, the eyelids are held open with a small medical device to prevent blinking. It is therefore impossible for you to close your eye or blink during the procedure. We keep the surface of your eye lubricated with drops, so your eye does not get dry, and you will not feel the need to blink.