What To Expect On the Day of Your LASIK Procedure

Nikola Ragusa, MD - Ophthalmic Consultant of New York, PLLC

(please arrive 30 minutes prior to)

Making the decision to have LASIK is a life changing decision. If you have decided to experience clearer

vision through LASIK you are probably excited about the prospect of breaking your reliance on glasses or

contacts. It's also normal to be curious, and even a bit nervous, about your upcoming LASIK procedure.

Be prepared for your LASIK experience by reading about what to expect on the day of your LASIK eye

Preparing for your LASIK procedure

Depending on the type of contact lenses and if they are prescribed to be worn overnight (ie,

extended-wear contacts), contacts may alter corneal shape for up to several weeks after you discontinue

wearing contact lenses. Thus, it is recommended to stop wearing contact lenses before your

pre-operative baseline exam and before the day of LASIK procedure.

Prior to your pre-operative examination and your LASIK surgery, it is generally recommended to stop

contacts for 1 week with soft disposable contacts, 2 weeks with soft extended-wear contacts, and 4

weeks with gas permeable (RGP) lenses. However, after your pre-operative baseline exam, your LASIK

specialist will give your specific instructions on the exact timeframe to discontinue your contact lens wear.

Time Frame Consideration to Discontinue Contacts Before LASIK Surgery

Number of Weeks Before LASIK Surgery

There are no restrictions on eating, so you do not need to fast prior to a LASIK procedure. You can also

take any regular medications, as long as you had previously cleared these with your LASIK provider.

However, you should not consume alcohol on the day of your procedure.

Since your eye area will be cleaned prior to LASIK, you should not wear any eye makeup on your surgery

day. In addition, it is also best to avoid wearing perfume or cologne before arriving for your LASIK

procedure. Because the LASIK procedure room is kept at a cool temperature, it is best to dress yourself

in casual wear that will keep you warm and comfortable.

Your pre-operative treatment regimen will vary depending on your preoperative examination. Some

patients will be prescribed dry eye treatments, topical and/or oral medications to get them ready for LASIK

surgery. Thus, please make sure to follow specific pre-operative instructions customized for you by your

Arriving at your LASIK provider

Before getting to the LASIK surgery center, confirm that you have pre-arranged transportation to get

home after your procedure. Be sure to arrive at your provider promptly and check in. If there is any final

paperwork pending, such as an informed consent form, you'll be asked to complete them and return it to

The entire LASIK procedure typically takes less than 15 minutes to perform for both eyes while the actual

laser treatment time is less than 1 minute per eye. It often surprises patients to learn that these newly

optimized lasers can achieve the desired vision correction effects in such a short timeframe!

Nonetheless, it is advisable to allocate approximately 2 hours to spend at the surgery center on your

procedure day; this will allow time for paperwork completion and for preoperative medications to take proper

effects. For example, you may be offered a mild sedative medication to reduce potential anxiety prior to

LASIK treatment. Also, your eye area will be disinfected with an antiseptic solution and numbing eye

drops will be applied to the eyes to ensure maximal comfort during LASIK.

Once you have been prepped, you are ready to head into the LASIK laser suite. You will be lying down on

a cushioned surgical bed with an ergonomically contoured headrest that comfortably cradles your head

and neck, which helps to reduce your potential head movements during the brief duration of LASIK

surgery. If needed, your surgeon may also gently hold your head in the desired position to help keep your

head steady during the procedure. Don't worry, however, our lasers have tracking systems so that if your

eye moves the laser will follow your eye.

Numbing eye drops that were applied to your eyes before LASIK will both make the procedure

comfortable and decrease your urge to blink. In case you still feel unsure about keeping your eyelids clear

of the LASIK treatment area, the lids of the treated eye will be supported and kept open by a small

ophthalmic device ("speculum") - it does not cause pain but may cause mild sensation of pressure

You will have one eye covered at a time - patching the fellow eye helps the treatment eye to better

maintain fixation under laser. Your surgeon will be monitoring your eye movement with surgical

microscopes attached to the laser treatment station. Once he ascertains that the treatment eye is in an

ideal position, you'll be asked to focus on a colored target light. The target light is not the laser

responsible for correcting your vision, it simply helps you to maintain the direction of your gaze during a

Once you fixate at the target light, your surgeon will gently prompt you prior to initiating planned LASIK

treatment. The programmed laser sequences, based on the measurement data gathered at your

pre-operative exam, will gently reshape your cornea to achieve vision correction.

During this treatment process, you will be aware of new smells and sounds originated from or caused by

the operating laser. The excimer laser pulses do not lead to significant rise in tissue temperature (ie, this

laser does NOT lead to thermal burn); however, LASIK tissue reshaping process is expected to release a

scent that is similar to a singed hair, which is what you smell during this very quick procedure.

Additionally, as part of the expected LASIK treatment course, you can also expect temporary diming in

your vision and fluctuating degrees of visual blur while under the laser.

Does Eye Movements Interfere with LASIK?

Some patients are concerned that accidental eye movements during LASIK may interfere with the

outcome of their vision correction procedure. You should note that your eye movements are monitored

during LASIK, both by your surgeon and the sophisticated eye tracking software housed in the laser.

Should your eye movements exceed an acceptable level, the eye tracking software will automatically

pause the laser treatment sequences until optimal eye position is again achieved.

Thus, while your surgical team and the advanced computer tracking program are working seamlessly to

ensure your best LASIK outcome within the shortest possible treatment duration, all you have to do is

follow your surgeon's instructions and look at the assigned target fixation light for less than 1 minute each

time! It's no wonder that patients often remark on how easy and quick their experiences were with LASIK!

Visual recovery after LASIK is relatively quick and requires no stitches. Immediately after LASIK surgery,

you can expect for your vision to be blurry for at least a few hours. It can also be normal to experience

temporary eye stinging, scratchiness and light sensitivity. Your doctor will instruct you to close your eyes

to rest for a short period of time after surgery and before discharging you to go home.

It is important to avoid irritating or traumatizing your cornea in the early recovery period. Therefore, an

eye shield or protective goggles will be placed on your eyes to enhance protection before you leave the

Because the sedative given immediately before LASIK can also impair your ability to drive, please make

sure that you have arranged for reliable transportation to get home after LASIK surgery, because you will

not be allowed to drive yourself home immediately after the procedure.

Although the majority of patients are comfortable, some may experience discomfort or mild pain. In the

latter cases, your doctor may suggest a short course of over-the-counter or prescription pain reliever such

as Aspirin, Motrin, or Aleve to help you be as comfortable as possible in the early recovery period.

Once you have safely arrived home, plan to rest your eyes for the remainder of the day. Taking a nap

after getting home is always highly recommended. The first night, it is recommended that you sleep on

your back while wearing the protective eye shield. Over the next 24 to 48 hours, you'll likely be able to

resume most of your normal daily activities. During the first week, as your eyes continue to heal with

improving vision, you should also follow your doctor's instructions on taking eye drops to help the healing

process, sleeping with the protective eye shields and staying away from vigorous physical activities.

Immediately after LASIK surgery, your vision will still be a little blurry but already improved. The morning after

LASIK, you will see a significant improvement in your vision. A postoperative checkup is generally scheduled

1-day post-surgery, where you are advised not to wear makeup and avoid getting any foreign objects in your

eyes. Drops are used several times daily for 1-3 weeks following the procedure. You will have several exams to

assess the healing and progress over the next several months.

One of the most frequently asked questions regarding post-op LASIK is, "how quickly can I get back to work

after LASIK?," and the answer is often surprising: most people are back to their regular routine within a day or

two of having had their LASIK procedure complete. Recovery time is minimal and Dr. Ragusa will ensure that

your LASIK recovery process is as brief and least inconvenient as possible.