What happens during LASIK procedure?

LASIK procedures are a multi-step process.  Before you even make an appointment for your LASIK surgery, you will make an appointment for a pre-op assessment.  During this first visit to the clinic, you will discuss your medical history with your surgeon as well as your expectations.
In turn, the surgeon will explain possible options.  You will likely undergo an examination where the doctor will determine the size, shape, and thickness of your cornea as well as the severity of your aberrations.  These details will be used to determine the surgeon's course of action including the type of laser they will use during your procedure.

If you wear soft or hard contacts or are taking a medication that could increase the risk of complications during or after the operation, you will be asked to refrain from these acts for a set period of time prior to your surgery.

Once the date of your surgery arrives, you will enter the clinic as usual and be prepped for the procedure.  Most patients are given anesthetic eye drops to numb the eyes during the operation and a mild sedative to relax them and reduce the risk of irritation post-op.  It is important to note that all LASIK surgeries are performed on the patient while awake.  If you are prone to extreme anxiety, then speak to your surgeon about your concerns prior to the day of your surgery.

You will be situated on an operating table or chair, and your head may be restrained.  A mechanism is applied to the eye to hold it open during surgery.  Your doctor will likely explain each step as it occurs.  A laser or robotically controlled blade will be used to cut the corneal flap.  Once the flap has been cut, it will be folded back to reveal the portion of the cornea that is to be reshaped.  You may feel each of these procedures as they occur, but the anesthetic should ensure that you feel no pain.

The second stage of the surgery is where the excimer laser comes into play.  The laser machine will be situated over your eye.  These lasers do not cut or even burn your eye; they actually vaporize the unwanted tissue in such small sections that the procedure is virtually painless.  During the reshaping portion of the procedure, patients can expect their vision to become significantly blurred.  This is normal and will subside once the flap is replaced.

After the cornea is reshaped, the corneal flap will be moved back into place.  The surgeon will again examine the patient's eyes to determine that they are undamaged and that the procedure has been completed successfully.  The full impact of the operation-that is, improvement in vision-cannot be determined until the patient has fully recovered.