The LASIK Eye Surgery Procedure Day
You will be greeted by the laser technician who will direct you to the laser chair and give you some initial instruction. The laser technician will then calibrate the laser and during the calibration, you will hear the “sound” that the laser will make during the procedure. Your surgeon will sit behind you during the procedure and additional technicians will be working around your face and eyes, and they will be talking to you and giving you instructions. The surgeon will insert another set of drops.
The next step in the LASIK procedure is to create a small flap to lift the outside layer of the cornea by using the ultra-precise microkeratome or IntraLase. A vacuum ring will be placed on your eye to keep your eyes from moving during the creating of the flap. During this process, your vision will dim or even darken completely. After the flap is created your vision will return. The flap is then lifted by your surgeon, exposing the middle layer of your cornea which will receive treatment. This process takes only about 10-40 seconds to complete. When your right eye is being treated, your left eye will be patched, and vice versa.
An eyelid holder or lid speculum will be inserted around your eyelids to keep you from blinking. You may feel a slight awareness when it is inserted. Your surgeon will ask you to stare at a red light in the laser machine. The lasers have a tracking mechanism should your eye move during the procedure. The surgeon will activate the laser by pressing on a foot pedal. If for some reason you should look away from the red light, the surgeon will pause and instruct you to find the red light and continue with the LASIK procedure. Your LASIK procedure treatment is specifically designed by your surgeon based on measurements gathered at the preoperative evaluation.
After the LASIK Eye Surgery Procedure
When the LASIK procedure is finished, your surgeon will reposition the corneal flap on your eye and rinse it with liquid. You may feel the urge to blink from the liquid but the eyelid holder will keep you from blinking. Your surgeon will them let the flap reattach to the surface of your eye. This will take about 30-60 seconds. During this time the surgeon and technician will remove the eyelid holder and any tape from your eyes. Your surgeon will then ask you to blink a few times. The surgeon will now repeat the procedure on your other eye. The eye that was just treated will have a patched placed over it.
