At Illinois Eye Center, one of the most commonly asked questions we hear during our LASIK seminars is, “Does LASIK hurt?” And while we understand that the thought of having a laser pointed at your eye may seem a bit scary, the answer in most cases is no. LASIK eye surgery does not hurt during or immediately following the procedure.
Patients receive anesthetic drops prior to surgery to numb their eyes and stiches aren’t required for healing afterwards. You are awake during the procedure and your surgeon may prescribe medication if you need help feeling relaxed beforehand. During surgery, you may feel slight pressure on your eyes, but the procedure itself is easy, painless and quick.
Illinois Eye Center is home to the WaveLight® Refractive Suite, the most advanced and efficient blade-free LASIK treatment available today. It includes the WaveLight® EX500 Excimer Laser, WaveLight® FS200 Femtosecond Laser and Swiveling patient bed. These three technologies work together to produce faster results while reducing the risk of complications during surgery.
Traditional LASIK surgery requires cutting a flap on your cornea using a sharp blade. The WaveLight FS200 Femtosecond Laser creates a flap in just seconds with precision and accuracy. Once your eyes are numb, a surgeon creates a flap on your cornea and gently lifts the flap to expose the treatment area. The flap allows the WaveLight EX500 Excimer Laser to deliver light energy to the cornea. This reshapes the cornea, allowing incoming light rays to focus correctly on the retina, providing crisp, clear vision.
After the procedure, the flap is put back in place, serving as a natural bandage, and the healing process begins. Immediately following the procedure, while your retina is healing, you may be sensitive to bright light and your vision may be slightly blurry. However, studies have shown that most LASIK patients say their vision feels normal the day after surgery and they can start enjoying their new and improved vision right away.
LASIK has been approved by the FDA and is proven effective in treating nearsightedness and farsightedness, as well as astigmatism. It’s the most popular elective procedure in the United States. Come join the millions who are seeing their world like never before. For more information, sign up for one of our LASIK seminars today – dramatically improved eyesight is in your future!
