What is LASIK?
If you are wondering, Does LASIK hurt? Then it would be a good idea to learn the basics about it and understand what you can expect so that you would know if it can hurt or not.
Let’s discuss what’s LASIK, and to do so, let’s see how the human eye works!
The human eye works similarly to a typical camera! The world that you see with your eyes has its image on the retina. However, the cornea is the part of your eye that helps the light focus on the retina.
There could be refractive errors as there could be an issue with the shape of the cornea and the issue is such that the image formed on the retina is blurry or out of focus.
The refractive errors can be:
- Myopia
- Hyperopia
- Astigmatism
- Presbyopia
In myopia, it’s difficult for the person to see distant objects. You might know it by the name of nearsightedness.
In hyperopia, it would be difficult for the person to see the objects that are nearby. You might know it by the name of farsightedness.
If there is an irregularity in the lens or the eye’s cornea, then it’s astigmatism.
The presbyopia is far-sightedness, but it’s age-related.
A person who has myopia might also have astigmatism. In the same way, a person who has hyperopia can also have astigmatism.
When you would visit an eye, doctor chances are that you can get eyeglasses or contact lenses. However, you can also consider refractive surgery as this surgical procedure can help you see better, and you don’t have to rely on glasses or contact lenses.
So, in LASIK surgery, a special laser would remove the corneal tissue depending on the relevant requirements. The surgery aims to reshape the cornea so that the person can see better. The LASIK surgery is thus for providing a better vision.
There could be complications or side effects despite the high success rate. Some people might complain of dry eyes! There could be pain or there could be nerve damage. The pain could be for a few hours. Though such complications would be rare, still there is a possibility, so it’s best to discuss the whole situation with the doctor and see what they recommend. Your doctor is your best source of information and can recommend the best for you.
How LASIK Works?
The purpose of LASIK is to correct refractive errors.
You can consider LASIK for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia. You would be able to see a clear picture of the world when a special laser would reshape the cornea of your eyes. The procedure is performed in such a way that it leads to the correction of refractive errors.
Over the years, you might have observed that there had been an improvement in the ways LASIK is performed. You are exceptionally aware that technology is bringing numerous changes in the lives of modern individuals. Thus, there is a faster recovery time in the modern age, and you can expect improvement in the vision after the operation. There is better pain management. However, it’s still a surgical procedure so you can expect some complications. You might expect some pain or discomfort after the operation. It would be best to discuss your situation with your eye doctor. Your ophthalmologist can guide you the best!
So when you get the LASIK, a special laser helps you achieve the purpose of a clearer image of this world.
Technological Improvements Reduce Pain
Over the years, there is advancement in information technology, and you can expect improvements when it comes to LASIK as well. It’s important to keep yourself updated with what’s going on in the industry to know what exactly to expect. The purpose of such improvements is to reduce the pain. Pain management and recovery time would become better with technological improvement.
When it comes to post-operative pain, you might be thinking of viable options. Depending on your situation, the doctor can guide. However, epi-LASIK is considered quite effective when it comes to dealing with post-operative pain.
If you are considering epi-LASIK and other refractive procedures the pain might last for four hours. That’s what people say! But, those who get the epi-LASIK reported less pain and that too immediately after the procedure. You can say that it was less during the recovery also!
When the eye doctor has suggested epi-LASIK for you, the surgery time would be reduced as well. So you can expect an improvement in the recovery time. However, your doctor is the best source to tell you whether you are a suitable candidate for epi-LASIK or not.
Plus, if you plan LASIK or any other refractive procedure, you can’t decide on your own if it’s the right procedure for you or not. Your doctor can tell whether it’s the most viable option for you or not.
If you feel that LASIK could be for you, it’s better to consult with your eye doctor. They might refer you to a specialist! You can also share your concerns if you feel anxious about the pain. Your doctor can suggest what to do with pain management. You can learn ways to reduce pain.
Usually, it’s hard for a person to decide if they are a suitable candidate for LASIK, but you can book an appointment to find out. Even though technological advancement is bringing many changes in modern people’s lives, you might still not be comfortable with the thought of pain. In that case, you have to see what your eye doctor suggests and first find out if you are a suitable candidate for LASIK or not.
Does LASIK Hurt?
Your eye surgeon can tell you what to expect. You might be wondering about the pain or if the LASIK hurt.
Your ophthalomologist might advise you to stop wearing contact lenses plus, you would be asked to stop wearing makeup, perfumes, and lotions that are scented. You don’t want to deal with any infection, irritation, or any inflammation. So it’s for your good!
Consider the following:
If you want LASIK in one eye, your eye doctor will put the relevant eye drops in your eye. If it’s in both eyes and the eye drops would be for both eyes.
You can discuss with your eye doctor if you feel anxious about the procedure. Your doctor can suggest what’s the best option for you! You might want to get generalized anesthesia as you would be awake otherwise, but generalized anesthesia is not recommended. In any case, discuss the option with your doctor.
The duration of the surgery can be between 3 to 15 minutes for each eye. You can get epi-LASIK, traditional LASIK, or maybe LASEK. Depending on your preferences, you can get the LASIK on one or both eyes. The pain would be a little more when considering LASIK for both eyes, but there would be a minimal difference.
It would be better if you are keeping the eyes shut after the procedure for a few hours.
After the surgery, it would be wise for you to protect your eyes. Your doctor would tell you what precautions are essential. It’s possible to feel some pain for up to a day. However, your doctor can suggest you over-the-counter pain medications. The doctor might prescribe the eye drops as well. It’s possible to experience dryness from 3 to 6 months, but it’s manageable.
If you feel overwhelmed thinking about the LASIK pain, it would be best to discuss your eye doctor’s whole situation. Let the ophthalmologist know how you feel about the pain and the possible ways to manage it! After all, you would consider LASIK for your betterment and have a clear view of everything around you.
What Pain After LASIK Means
In a few weeks, your cornea would heal, but complete healing might take months. You might experience moderate level pain after your LASIK surgery. However, you can expect it to last for up to a day. Over the years, there had been an improvement in technology, and thus, it affects everything!
When your vision starts to get more precise, you would know that your cornea is healing. However, you need to keep in mind that if you experience pain that’s not going away or is getting worse, then it would be best to consult your doctor as soon as possible. Surgical complications are rare, but in case of pain, it’s best to rule out the possibility of any surgical complication.
It’s possible to expect the following side effects:
You might see halos around the light sources or there could be glares that you might see!
You might feel dry eyes.
There is a possibility of astigmatism.
Under correction and overcorrection is also possible.
There is a possibility of vision loss.
There could be a problem with the flap healing.
There could be nerve damage for the retina or the tissue surrounding it.
You might feel the trouble to create the tears, but it usually resolves in 48 hours.
You need to keep in mind that there are chances that some people might face persistent side effects. Usually, the pain indicates the long-term side effects. However, the side effects might go away in six months. When you plan on getting the LASIK surgery, it would be best to discuss your doctor’s pros and cons. Even though there are tons of online information, you have to see what your doctor is saying. Your eye doctor can guide you the best!
In simple words, if you have pain, it’s not a good sign, especially if it stays for too long. You have to consult your eye doctor, and thus, it would be possible for you to know the most viable option for you.
Why You Shouldn’t Worry About LASIK
You might be reading tons of articles online. You can be watching interviews of people who had LASIK procedures. Or you might be asking people on social media about LASIK and its pain. All of this can be quite overwhelming for you! So what you can do is consult your ophthalmologist. Your eye specialist can suggest what’s the best and most viable option for you.
It’s essential that if you decide to go ahead with LASIK, you have the confidence to do so! Your eye doctor can give you the best answers. Plus, you can ask the doctor what to expect in terms of LASIK.
It’s always better to ask as many questions as you can so that you can overcome your fear and anxiety. Plus, if you still feel overwhelmed about the whole situation and want to consider LASIK, you can ask your eye doctor to help you understand pain management.
When To See Your Eye Doctor
You might have decided to go ahead and get the LASIK. You have to see your eye doctor when you are planning for the procedure. Plus, it’s a must to see your ophthalmologist in case of any issue.
Suppose you develop any worsening symptoms or experience anything that’s affecting your vision. You should contact your eye doctor immediately. It would be important to treat the issue as early as possible! Failing to do so can even lead to vision loss.
You don’t want to see yourself in a tough situation. You should always follow-up with the eye doctor when you are asked to! Always remember that your best source of information and recommendation is your ophthalmologist. Before considering LASIK and feeling anxious about the pain, it’s best to find out if you are a suitable candidate for the entire process or not. Don’t delay visiting your eye doctor, especially if you feel something is not right with your eyes after the surgery.
Conclusion
LASIK procedure does not hurt but causes mild levels of discomfort before, during, and after the same. In most cases, this discomfort is more due to the psychology of fear caused by people’s minds that they undergo surgery in a crucial aspect of their body.
All precautions are taken by the ophthalmologist to make the patient feel comfortable right before initiating the procedure. Lasik surgery is one of those procedures which cause zero pain at any point in time before, during, and after. The mild discomforts caused will automatically fade away all by themselves with the surgery and healing process coming to an end.
