Does LASIK Hurt?

Millions of people have undergone LASIK surgery throughout the world. As the most popular form of laser vision correction, it has been closely monitored by the FDA and several industry groups.

2011-12-29

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, December 29, 2011 (Press-News.org) Millions of people have undergone LASIK surgery throughout the world. As the most popular form of laser vision correction, it has been closely monitored by the FDA and several industry groups. In a recent analysis of over 60 studies worldwide, it was found that 95.4 percent of people who have received LASIK are very satisfied with their results. This same analysis found that LASIK was effective in providing vision of 20/20 or better in an overwhelming majority of instances. This is great news for people who long to live a life free of glasses, but it fails to address one common question: does LASIK hurt?

What LASIK Feels Like

LASIK is performed under anesthesia, generally right in your ophthalmologist's office. Anesthesia is effective at completely reducing discomfort, but some patients may still find themselves nervous about the procedure. For these patients, several ophthalmologists offer mild sedatives to help provide complete relaxation.

To perform LASIK, your ophthalmologist will make a small flap in your cornea with surgical tools or a specialized laser. When this flap is created, you may feel mild pressure on your eye, but will not experience any pain.

Through this flap, your eye surgeon will gently reshape your cornea with an excimer laser. This part of the process generally provides no sensation at all. In fact, most patients don't even know it's happening. Once completed, your ophthalmologist will close the flap and you'll be allowed to rest until you feel ready to move.

Recovering from anesthesia is different for every patient. If sedatives were administered, you will require more time to relax prior to being sent home. For most people, this process takes around 30 minutes.

The flap from your surgery will heal in 24 hours, and complete recovery from LASIK can be expected in one to seven days. Work can be resumed within three days, and regular activities within two weeks.

LASIK is a safe, effective, painless procedure that has helped millions get the vision they deserve. If you are concerned with potential pain in this procedure, talk frankly with your ophthalmologist to see how they can help you feel relaxed and comfortable during your procedure.

If you live in or around San Francisco, Oakland, or San Jose, California and are interested in learning more about the LASIK procedure, please visit the website of Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley for additional information at www.lasikdocs.com.

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