Is anesthesia used during the LASIK procedure?

Is anesthesia used during the LASIK procedure?
4 min read

Lasik, also known as laser in situ keratomileuses, is a surgery for vision correction. In this surgery, an eye surgeon or an ophthalmologist reshapes the cornea on the thin outer layer of the eye according to the rules and regulations of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The success rate of this surgery is more than 90%. This surgery has helped various people with refractive errors and vision problems and enabled them to see without contacts and glasses.

The feeling through Lasik eye surgery

During LASIK surgery, the eye surgeon uses a precise blade or a laser on the patient's eye to pull back a specific part of the cornea before they reshape the tissues present underneath with the help of a laser. Then the flap is replaced to facilitate the healing of the eye after the surgery. To create this flap, a laser-guided by a computer is considered a more safe option; it also helps with quick healing and is regarded as a more specific option than the blade. The LASIK surgery procedure may sound a little bit complicated, but it is not painful. 

The doctors suggest that the patient feels no pain during the surgery. They may feel a sensation of pressure during the surgery itself, and then they may feel some discomfort after the completion of the procedure. The success that the patient may think of in their eyes is similar to the Sebastian of the finger on the eyelid. This sensation is caused by the eyelid holder, which keeps the eyes of the patient open, and a suction device is also used, which prevents the eyes from moving. The patients are provided with eye drops to avoid inflammation and infection and prevent and ease dryness.

Lasik surgery and use of anesthesia

Whenever people hear about surgery in general, they associate the whole experience with anesthesia. But LASIK surgery is not similar to most surgeries out there as, generally, anesthesia is unnecessary. Most patients prefer to be put to sleep for Lasik surgery; it is their choice. But it is suggested that patients be alert at all times to follow the instructions given to them by their surgeon. The patient must stare at the light for about 60 seconds while the laser works its magic. It is critical to have a visual fixation on the steady light to get the most accurate results.

The discomfort that the patients feel is described as severe dry eyes. This may subside within six hours of the surgery, which is why the patients are usually advised to sleep or take a nap right after the completion of the procedure. But during the LASIK surgery, the patient is not asleep. The anesthesia used most of the time in the Lasik procedures is in the form of numbing eye drops. Before the beginning of the design, the patients are given eye drops as anesthesia which helps them to avoid the feeling of pain.

These eye-numbing drops work as anesthesia by blocking the pain signals to the ocular nerves, allowing the patient not to feel the surgery. The patients are awake the whole time during the LASIK surgery procedures. If the patients feel any nervousness, they are given some kind of calming medication by the doctors. The eye-numbing drops during the process work by completely numbing the eyes' surface; that is how the patients feel nothing during the LASIK surgery. People who are feeling nervous about the surgery are given Ativan and valium, which help them to take the edge off.

The most common fear among the patients going through LASIK surgery is that they feel everything that is happening during the LASIK surgery. But that is not the case. They will feel nothing, just a light pressure on their eyes. Also, the numbing drops that are used can give the patients mild sedation, which helps the patient to stay awake and relaxed at the same time during the procedure. The eye drops used for numbing the eyes during the surgery are similar to the regular eye drops used for lubricating the eyes.



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