What will you experience when you have laser eye surgery?

Published on 14th June 2010

When you have laser eye surgery performed , it can be completed on an outpatient basis. You simply book an appointment for consultation and you can subsequently go in and get one eye or both eyes done at the same time. Many people will choose to have both eyes done on the same day as it cuts down on the number of visits that you have to make.

When the procedure begins, the surgeon will start by administering eye drops that will numb the eye. The next step is to create the flap on the outside of the eye. This sounds painful, but in fact most people do not even find it uncomfortable. All most patients will experience is a slight amount of pressure as the instrument is applied to the eye.

Once this is done, a laser is then used to shape the cornea. This part of the procedure actually takes only a few seconds to complete. When you are having the laser eye surgery done, it will be over before you know it and all you really experience is to hear a number of clicks. These are the pulses from the laser. Once that has been completed, the flap is then replaced and you are finished!

Generally, they will suggest that you relax in the recovery room for a short while. After that, you can usually head straight home following the procedure and with a few instructions you can go about living your normal life almost exactly as you would. You're going to have to stay away from extremely strenuous activities and you should avoid rubbing your eyes afterwards but otherwise most people find there is very little recovery time at all. One thing that they do notice is that they have clear vision and in most cases it takes only a few hours to experience.

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.