The LASIK Procedure
Once you are found to be a candidate for LASIK eye surgery, you will meet with our surgical counselor who will go over pricing and scheduling of your procedure. On the day of your procedure, you should have a friend or loved one drive you. Your eyes will be numbed with special drops, and you will be led into the laser suite. You will remain awake throughout the procedure, and will be asked to focus on a fixation light inside the laser.
There are 3 main steps to the LASIK procedure:
1. The femtosecond laser is used to create a thin flap of corneal tissue in about 8 seconds. (video)
2. The flap is lifted and the excimer laser reshapes the cornea to correct your prescription. (video)
3. The flap is placed back into position, where it adheres naturally.
The procedure takes about 6-8 minutes per eye. Immediately following the surgery you will begin to start to see, although the first few hours most patients are somewhat foggy and have some fluctuation to their vision. It is normal to experience burning and watering of the eyes for the first few hours after the procedure that can usually be helped by taking a short nap. The following day most patients are able to drive and return to their normal activities.