Does laser eye surgery hurt much?

Question

and do you know any reliable places in victoria [melb. australia]?

Answer 1

they give you numb shots so no pain you barely feel anything

Answer 2

It really depends on the type of surgery you have. There are many different types depending on your individual prescription (near or far sightedness, etc) I'll do my best to explain the two most common procedures.

If you have thick corneas (and all the other criteria for having the surgery are met), you should be a candidate for Lasik. This is when a laser is used to cut a very this circular flap in the cornea. The flap is folded over so the surgeon can resurface the exposed layer of cornea (also done with a laser). Once the cornea has been reshaped to suit your individual condition, the flap is gently placed back when it started. No stitches or anything or that nature are involved; the roundness of your eyeball sort of acts like a vacuum and holds the cornea in place until it heals.

If your corneal layer is NOT thick enough for Lasik surgery, you could be a candidate for something called PRK (Photo-Refractive Keratectomy). In simple terms, this kind of operation involves resurfacing the cornea without cutting a flap. This is a much quicker process but because the resurfaced area is basically open to the elements, it DOES hurt. I had PRK over 2 years ago and I won't lie, it was excruciating. Of course, everyone has a different pain tolerance; I thought mine was high but that definitely surprised me!

The recovery time for PRK is at least double that of LASIK so there is are more after-care required (special eye-drops, things to put over your eyes at night so you don't rub them, etc). More than anything, it's the frustration of not being able to do anything that makes you crazy. I couldn't read, watch TV or even eat properly. I stuck myself in the face with my fork more than a few times! That said, it's worth the pain when you wake up in the morning and realise you're fumbling for your glasses.... but you can already see :)

The first step is a consultation, they're often free and will give you a better idea of how you want to proceed. Another thing to consider is that most surgeons will want to see a plateau in your prescription for at least 2 years prior to laser surgery. Keep in mind my prescription had not changed in over 2 years and i was in my mid-twenties so we weren't expecting to see much change until well into my late 30s. It's been just over 2 years since my surgery and I am now at a -1.00 prescription, meaning I need glasses or contacts for night driving and stuff like concerts, movies, sports, etc. It's not something you can predict but it's useful to keep in mind.

Hope that helps, whatever you decide, good luck to you!

Answer 3

does not hurt at all

Answer 4

the thing with laser eye surgery is that they burn the top protective layer of your eye in order to see but better but it reduces the protection it receives from the elements.

Answer 5

no it does not hurt one bit.  it is a no pain procedure.

Answer 6

It depends on what type of lasersurgery you have.LASIK isnt very painful, just a gritty feeling for a day or so. PRK can be rather painful for a few days.

There is a video about how LASIK is done here:

http://www.eyesurgeryvideos.com/2008/05/...