Fact About Pain From Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is a common vision correction, and although many people have undergone this surgery, there are several misconceptions and myths about this procedure. These myths and misconceptions have made many people with vision problems sceptical about undergoing the treatment as they think the procedure is quite painful.

Contrary to popular belief that laser eye surgery is painful, the procedure is pain-free and causes minimal discomfort afterwards. there may be minila duscomfort following eye surgery for some patinst but well tolerated and fast resolving only few days of irritaion and watery eyes. The effect of laser eye surgery lasts for many years in most cases, so the little discomfort which rarely occurs is nothing compared to the benefits.

You would know the facts about laser eye treatment and what to expect from the treatment as you read-on.

Before laser eye surgery

You would have had an initial consultation with the surgeon to examine your eyes and check you for suitabiity to determine if you are the right candidate for the different types of laser eye surgery. On the day of the surgery, the surgeon will first administer eye drops to ensure your eye remains moist and fully anaesthetic to avoid discomfort.

The surgeon will use a sterile speculum to gently hold your eyes open, these are easy and gentle. At first, this may make your eyes feel strange, but try to relax, and your eyes would get used to them. If you feel anxious before the procedure, the surgeon will administer a mild sedative if needed but very rarely this is necessary.

During Laser Eye Surgery

Different types of laser eye surgery are available for vision correction. They include LASEK, LASIK, and SMILE. Depending on the type you undergo, the surgeon will use a laser to reshape your cornea or surface of your eyes to give you a perfect vision.

SMILE, LASEK, and LASIK procedure takes for only a few minutes, usually 15 minutes. The surgeon uses a laser light to reshape a small amount of corneal tissue, about one-quarter of the human hair width. The laser helps for accuracy, and the process is pain-free because of the anaesthetic and ease of application. In rare cases, people feel mild discomfort, but it lasts for only a short time.

A laser is smilar to light, unlike what most people think. You may perceive a burning smell during the procedure, but doesn't mean the laser burns anything and the smell does not have anything to do with your eye tissues. The smell may be similar to smoke from burning, but it comes from the laser's reaction with the carbon atoms in the surrounding air and the gass used in theatre environment.

After Laser Eye Surgery

Depending on the type of laser eye surgery you undergo, you might feel mild discomfort.

LASEK

Following LASEK surgery, the surgeon will cover your eyes with bandage lenses. Bandage lenses are clear and soft contact lenses which protect the eyes during the healing process. You may need to wear protective lenses for about a week. Although this depends on how fast you heal.

After LASEK, some patients have mild to moderate pain, usually a stinging sensation, but this does not remain for long.

LASIK

LASIK patients tend to experience less discomfort than LASEK patients because the cornea heals faster following LASIK treatment. Patients may experience eye dryness or gritty sensation for day or two, but using an eye drop helps manage discomfort. About 90% of the population are suitable for LASIK, so it is the most common laser eye surgery.

SMILE

Similar to LASIK this procedure heal fast with minimal discomfort,only few days of watery and gritty sensation

Consulting a surgeon

Consulting an experienced surgeon before laser eye surgery is important and ensures the success of your surgery. Although complications rarely occur, an experienced surgeon can spot any possible complication on time and treat them before it causes harm.

The healing process is usually smooth with only a few mild discomforts which subside as the eyes heal. However, in cases where patients have concerns about their recovery or surgery, they can ask the surgeon questions and seek the right advice.

You can book a free consultation at Optimal Vision with an experienced surgeon for your laser eye surgery. You can always contact us 020 7183 3725 on to book for the free consultation, then get your laser eye surgery done, so you do not have to worry about any vision problems.