How can I stay calm during LASIK?

How do you stay calm during laser eye surgery?

Even with LASIK's advanced technology and your surgeon's expertise, you may still be nervous on the day of your procedure. The Mayo Clinic recommends slowly tensing and relaxing muscle groups in your body as an effective relaxation technique.

How do you calm down before eye surgery?

Is it normal to be nervous before LASIK?

We know that your vision is important, and it's totally normal if you're scared or anxious before LASIK. LASIK has a very high success rate but it never hurts to prepare!

How do you not blink during LASIK?

During the procedure, the eyelids are held open with a small medical device to prevent blinking. It is therefore impossible for you to close your eye or blink during the procedure. We keep the surface of your eye lubricated with drops, so your eye does not get dry, and you will not feel the need to blink.

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What if you flinch during LASIK?

A common concern among potential LASIK patients is whether they will be awake during the procedure. Yes—patients are awake during LASIK. However, there is no need to worry if you accidentally blink or move your eyes during the surgery.

What if you move your head during LASIK?

So, no need to worry about keeping your eye open or moving your eye during the procedure. If you head or body moves, from a cough or sneeze, then the laser moves with you or stops altogether. You will be lying down on a comfortable flat, cushioned bed during the procedure, which only takes about 6 minutes!

Can you be asleep during laser eye surgery?

Unfortunately, patients should be awake for LASIK surgery. No, the doctors aren't sadists who want to watch you squirm. Actually, being put to sleep during LASIK does more harm than good. In order for the doctor to perform optimally, he or she needs your cooperation, and therefore, your cognizance.

Do they use blades in LASIK?

Blade LASIK, also called traditional laser vision correction has been around for quite a few years. In this spectacle removal surgery, the surgeon uses a Microkeratome (a blade like device used on the cornea) to make a thin hinged flap on the transparent front surface of the eye called the cornea.

Can you take Xanax before LASIK?

The day of surgery, the eye is numbed with topical eye drops. Many offices will also give you an anti-anxiety medication such as Xanax or Valium to calm your nervous. Once prepped, you will lie down on a table face up.

Can I take Benadryl before LASIK?

If possible, do not take antihistamines or decongestants for 1 week prior to surgery and limit use for the first few weeks after LASIK. These medications will dry the eyes and cause slower healing.

Can you eat and drink before LASIK?

Unlike most surgeries, you can eat before LASIK. You don't want to get overly full, but eating a light snack will ensure that you are comfortable during the procedure. Eat something healthy that will hold you over during the procedure.

Do you get laughing gas for LASIK?

Gas anesthesia is a poor choice because of case reports of nitrous oxide interfering with the argon fluorine excimer laser. A Diprivan drip is the perfect sedative because of its rapid induction time and easy ability to titrate the dose.

Can you watch TV the day after LASIK?

Since your eyes are still healing, they will be especially sensitive in the first 24 hours after the LASIK procedure. Because of this, it's recommended to wait at least 24 hours before watching TV.

How Fast Is LASIK recovery?

The immediate recovery period for LASIK generally lasts six to 12 hours, but it varies by patient, depending on several factors. Most patients see clearly within 24 hours after vision correction surgery, but others take two to five days to recover.

Does LASIK hurt?

Fortunately, LASIK eye surgery is not painful. Right before your procedure, your surgeon will place numbing eye drops into both of your eyes. While you may still feel a little bit of pressure during the procedure, you should not feel any pain.

What sedation is used for LASIK?

Injections and Needles are not used during LASIK laser eye surgery. Instead, topical anesthetic drops are the only type of anesthesia used to numb the eye during laser surgery. Patients are awake and comfortable during surgery.

Can you go blind from LASIK?

MYTH #2: You will go blind. Actually, as of this writing, there are no reported cases of blindness due to LASIK surgery itself. In a recent study, it was discovered that patients actually have a 34 times higher risk of going blind from a contact lens infection than going blind from LASIK.

What is LASIK recovery like?

You'll probably want to take a few days off from work as well. Most people don't experience much pain after LASIK surgery, but it's completely normal to experience a burning or scratchy feeling in your eyes for the first few hours following your surgery. You may also notice that your vision changes throughout the day.

Is it hard to keep eyes open during LASIK?

So, the actual time of the surgery is not too long. But, there's more than that at work to keep your eyes open during surgery. But really, keeping your eyes open during LASIK is nothing to worry about. Numbing drops along with an eye-opening device are used to keep your eyes open.

What holds eyes open during LASIK?

The laser system includes a large machine with a microscope attached to it and a computer screen. A numbing drop will be placed in your eye, the area around your eye will be cleaned, and an instrument called a lid speculum will be used to hold your eyelids open.

Can you sneeze during eye surgery?

Advanced eye-tracking technology accounts for any movement.

If you should sneeze or cough, the laser will wait or adjust its position to compensate. This technology means that sneezing—as well as coughing or any other involuntary movement—will not affect the result of your surgery.

Why are you awake during LASIK?

This is because general anaesthesia carries a higher risk than LASIK itself, so surgeons prefer not to use it. LASIK surgery is so quick—it only takes a few minutes—that patients only need local anesthesia in the form of eye drops. These completely numb the eyes but you will be completely awake for the entire surgery.

Can you move your eyes during LASIK?

The good news is that moving your eye during LASIK will not cause a problem. The LASIK procedure is incredibly quick which reduces your need to move your eye.