Is laser eye surgery painful?

Published on 2nd August 2012

The actual procedure itself is painless. Your eyes are completely anaesthetised using eye drops and the vast majority of patients say the thought of the treatment beforehand was far worse the reality of it. Patients say it feels a little odd and a bit uncomfortable but there is no pain. Some have even said that they would rather have their eyes lasered than go to the dentist for a filing!!

You will feel a little delicate in the first few hours immediately after your treatment. Your eyes will be sensitive to the light and they do tend to water quite a lot. The best thing to do is to go straight home, lie down in a darkened room and keep your eyes closed for a couple of hours.

Your eyes will naturally let you know when they feel comfortable enough to allow you to open them. You should make no plans for the rest of that day and just take it easy. You will need to come back into the clinic the next day for your check up.

All eye surgical procedures carry a level of risk including not obtaining the desired outcome, through to varying levels of visual loss. Your eye surgeon will discuss the risks and benefits, including ones specific to your circumstances, at the time of your pre-operative consultation.