During Your LASIK Procedure
The LASIK Procedure
The LASIK procedure is painless. The entire LASIK procedure will take about 30 minutes and the laser itself will actually only be used for less than a minute.
Before the procedure the doctor will give you anesthetic eye drops so you don’t feel the procedure.
Your LASIK Procedure: In the Laser Room
You will be greeted by the laser engineer or technician who will direct you to the laser chair and give you some initial instruction.
The laser engineer will then calibrate the laser. During this calibration, you will hear the "sound" that the laser will make during the procedure.
During the procedure the laser engineer will stand near the laser and will be counting down to you and to your surgeon, "Ten more seconds, five more seconds," etc.
Your surgeon will sit behind you during the procedure.
During the procedure, the surgeon, laser engineer, and technicians will be working around your face and eyes, and they people will be talking to you and giving you instructions.
The surgeon will insert another set of drops.
The Pre-Laser Procedure
When your right eye is being treated, your left eye will be patched, and vice versa.
An eyelid holder or lid speculum will be inserted around your eyelids to keep you from blinking. You may feel a slight awareness when it is inserted.
Your surgeon will ask you to stare at a red light in the laser machine. The surgeon will activate the laser by pressing on a foot pedal. If for some reason you should look away from the red light, the surgeon will pause the LASIK procedure.
Microkeratome Blade
The next step in the procedure is to create a small flap to lift the outside layer of the cornea using an ultra-precise microkeratome.
A vacuum ring will be placed on your eye to keep your eyes from moving during surgery.
During this process, your vision will dim or even darken completely. You will then hear the gears of the microkeratome moving as the flap is created.
After the flap is created the microkeratome will be removed, and your vision will return.
The flap is then lifted by your surgeon, exposing the middle layer of your cornea which will receive treatment.
This process takes only about 10 seconds to complete.
The LASIK Laser Treatment
Your laser treatment is specifically designed by your surgeon based on measurements gathered at the pre-operative evaluation.
The laser will be applied to the cornea for about 10-45 seconds. This is determined by the calculation made by your surgeons prior to your procedure and entered into the laser. During this time you will stare at the red light in the laser.
After LASIK: The Post-Laser Procedure
When the laser treatment is finished, your surgeon will reposition the corneal flap on your eye and rinse it with liquid. You may feel the urge to blink from the liquid but the eyelid holder will keep you from blinking.
Your surgeon will them let the flap reattach to the surface of your eye. This will take about 30-60 seconds. During this time the surgeon and technician will remove the eyelid holder and any tape from your eyes.
Your surgeon will then ask you to blink a few times.
The surgeon will now repeat the procedure on your other eye. The eye that was just treated will have a patched placed over it.