If you are thinking about correcting your vision with LASIK or another type of laser eye surgery, you might wonder: does laser eye surgery hurt?
A lot of people worry about laser eye surgery because our eyes are super sensitive, and the thought of a laser being close to them can be pretty intimidating.
The good news is that most people do not feel pain during laser eye surgery.
Thanks to advanced technology and numbing eye drops, most patients experience only a slight discomfort and recover quickly afterward.
Let’s go over what to expect before, during, and after laser eye surgery.
What Is Laser Eye Surgery?
Laser eye surgery changes the shape of your eye’s surface to fix vision problems like nearsightedness, astigmatism, or farsightedness.
The goal is to help light focus correctly on the retina, which improves your vision and reduces or removes the need for glasses or contact lenses.
There are a few types of laser eye surgery:
- LASIK: the most common and quick-healing option.
- PRK: a surface treatment for people with thinner corneas.
- SMILE: a newer and less invasive technique.
All types use a precision laser to gently reshape your cornea.
If you’re thinking about laser eye surgery to improve your vision, you might wonder if it hurts, so let’s answer that better.
Does Laser Eye Surgery Hurt During the Procedure?
Laser eye surgery does not hurt during the procedure, so you can relax.
Before they get started, the eye surgeon will drop some numbing solution into your eyes to make sure you don’t feel anything while they work.
You might notice some pressure or sensations, especially when they’re making the corneal flap in LASIK, but it’s definitely not painful.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Those numbing drops kick in really fast.
- You’ll lie down and focus on a light while a tool holds your eye open (It does feel a bit strange, but it doesn’t hurt)
- Some people feel light pressure when they’re creating the flap (for LASIK) or a cool breeze from the laser.
- The laser part is quick, usually less than a minute for each eye.
- You won’t feel a thing while the laser reshapes your eye; it’s completely painless.
Most people are actually amazed at how fast and comfortable it all is, as the entire process usually takes less than 15 minutes for both eyes.
Is There Pain After Laser Eye Surgery?
After the procedure, you might feel a bit uncomfortable or irritated, especially in the first 24 hours.
You’ll get a protective shield to keep you from rubbing your eyes or accidentally poking them, and it also helps prevent pressure on your eyes while you sleep.
So, what can you expect in terms of discomfort? You might feel:
- A gritty or burning sensation, like there’s an eyelash in your eye
- A little tearing or sensitivity to light
- Some dryness or itchiness
- Blurry vision for the first few hours
- Slight eye fatigue
These symptoms are pretty normal, usually mild, and don’t last long.
Most LASIK patients find that the discomfort peaks in the first few hours after surgery and then improves quickly.
By the next day, a lot of people can see clearly with minimal irritation.
If you’ve had PRK, you might experience a bit more discomfort in the first few days since the surface layer of the cornea takes longer to heal.
Your optometrist might give you some pain-relieving drops or suggest over-the-counter meds to help with this.
How Long Does Recovery Take?
Most people who have LASIK see their vision improve within a day and can often return to work or school the next day.
Their vision may continue to get sharper over the next few weeks or months.
Recovery from PRK takes longer.
It typically takes about 5 to 7 days for the surface of the eye to heal, and up to a month for vision to settle down.
Your eye doctor will tell you when you can start doing activities like driving, looking at screens, exercising, or putting on makeup.
When Should You Be Worried?
Most patients feel minor discomfort, but contact your clinic right away if you notice:
- Severe eye pain or a sharp stabbing feeling
- Sudden vision loss or seeing halos
- Redness that gets worse after the first few days
- Discharge or signs of infection
In Summary
So, does laser eye surgery hurt?
No, laser eye surgery does not hurt.
The procedure is painless because we use numbing drops.
Any discomfort after the surgery is usually mild and goes away quickly.
In fact, most patients find the experience easier than they expected.
At Vision Care Centre, we focus on keeping our patients comfortable and safe at every step.
Feel free to book an appointment.
