Does Laser Eye Surgery Hurt?

What to Expect

One of the most common questions we get from patients here at Eyedoctor is: “Does Laser Eye Surgery hurt?” So, we thought we should provide a comprehensive answer in an easy-to-read blog.

First things first, Laser Eye Surgery does not hurt. You may have some minor irritation after your surgery, but the treatment itself does not hurt at all. It is a fairly common misconception that Laser Eye surgery is a painful process.

Why Do People Believe Laser Eye Surgery is Painful?

The idea that Laser Eye surgery causes pain likely comes from early laser eye treatments. These early procedures, before LASIK and LASEK, may have at one point caused discomfort, but Laser eye treatments have evolved and continue to evolve over time.

The idea that Laser eye surgery hurts may have also come from stories about extreme side effects caused by poorly done treatments. These stories do not represent the true process of laser eye treatment and the process is completely harmless, other than minor irritation during the recovery period.

What to Expect From Your Procedure

Before Surgery
Before your laser eye treatment, you may be offered numbing drops and oral sedation depending on the specific treatment you are receiving. This will prevent you from feeling most of the treatment as it is performed. You will be briefed on all of the potential side effects and aftercare before any treatments by your opthalmologist. This is the simplest part of the whole procedure.

During Surgery
If you have taken numbing drops, you will likely feel little to no irritation. The amount of anaesthetic you may be offered depends on which type of Laser Eye Surgery you are receiving. LASIK surgery, the most common laser eye treatment, only requires the eyes and the surrounding area to be anaesthetised as well as a small sedative to help relax the face. You will be awake during the procedure, as you will be asked to look at a target during treatment however, you will not feel much discomfort. You may feel slight pressure from your eyes being held open, but this is minimal. We have years of experience performing Laser eye surgery treatments on a range of different eyes, so you can rest assured that we will take good care of you and return your sight to pristine condition.

After Surgery
After the surgery is where most people tend to feel some irritation. For the first few hours after your surgery, it is very common to feel discomfort in your eyes caused by postoperative inflammation. If you have taken sedatives before your surgery, you will likely be able to sleep the first few hours of irritation after you have been taken home by someone else. You will also be given eye drops such as steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to minimise the discomfort during the healing process. There are several possible side effects of laser eye surgery that we will discuss further.

Potential Laser Eye Surgery Side Effects

Laser Eye Surgery is a very safe and quick procedure, but it is important to understand that there are some rare side effects that may cause irritation or discomfort. Most of the side effects of laser eye treatment are minor and will subside in a few days or weeks after your surgery.

• Small vision changes – This includes minor glares, ghost images, halos and other visual irregularities. These do not cause any pain or discomfort but can be annoying.
• Dry Eyes – This usually causes a fair amount of discomfort in patients, you will be provided with eye drops to counteract this and it will usually dissipate over the recovery period.
• Infection – This is a very rare side effect, but you will be at risk of infection post-surgery. You will likely be given soft bandages or an eye shield to prevent this as much as possible
• Blotches – You may notice small red blotches appearing in the whites of your eye after laser eye surgery. These are not harmful at all and are caused by small blood leaks. These are not painful and will usually disappear after a few weeks.

These are the most common side effects of Laser eye surgery, most of which are not harmful. A large percentage of patients report having dry eyes, which is why eye drops are usually given after surgery. On top of this, there are some potential risks and complications that can occur with laser eye treatment, such as:

• Under or Overcorrection – On rare occasions, too much or too little tissue is removed from the cornea. This can cause some discomfort and visual irregularities which usually requires further surgery.
• Astigmatism – This occurs when corneal tissue is removed unevenly. You may require glasses, contact lenses or further surgery to correct this. Astigmatism is not painful but can have adverse effects on your overall eyesight clarity.
• Loss of Vision – Incredibly rare but can still happen, this can occur when there is a severe complication during the procedure. This does not necessarily mean a complete loss of vision but minor clarity issues such as cataract development or other conditions.

Best Practices for Aftercare

We will provide you with aftercare advice before and on the day of your treatment but having a list of the best practices readily available may be helpful to you. Each type of laser eye surgery has different aftercare and recovery periods, this should help give you a broader range of tips to understand the best practices.

Firstly, you will need to stay in the clinic for a short period after treatment, so our ophthalmologists can assess you and determine if you will require any additional assistance. You will also need to bring someone to help you get home, as you cannot legally drive for 24 hours after your procedure. On the day, you will be provided with eye drops to help combat dry eyes and irritation over the recovery period.

Once you are home, you will likely feel quite a bit of discomfort in your eyes for a few hours, it is important not to rub them during this time. It is likely that you will be given an eye shield or bandage to cover your eyes after treatment. Thankfully, you can usually sleep through the first few hours of irritation if you were given a sedative. It is advised that you stay home for 2 days after your treatment, as your eyes will be very sensitive at the time. You may be required to attend a follow-up examination to review your eye health and determine if you are able to drive and advise you on when you can return to work.

Your ophthalmologist can provide you with more advice to prevent laser eye surgery from hurting. You will likely be given a long term plan to assist you with any potential irritation or discomfort.

Contact Us With Questions

We hope that this cleared up any questions or concerns you may have with laser eye surgery and pain. The question “Does Laser eye surgery hurt” is a fairly simple one, but it is important to understand the finer details of why you may feel some discomfort after treatment.

If you have any further questions or would like to book a consultation for Laser eye surgery, contact us at 01484 977 333 or fill out our contact form.