Does LASIK Hurt? What To Know Before You Have Refractive Surgery

If you’re thinking about LASIK surgery or have your appointment on the books, you probably have questions. You’ve heard the seemingly miraculous stories of people getting LASIK one day and waking up with 20/20 vision the next.

But it can sound too good to be true. LASIK is surgery after all. And surgery isn’t exactly known to be pain-free.

So, you wonder: Does LASIK hurt?

How painful is LASIK?

Overall, most people don’t describe LASIK as necessarily painful. But there are times during the process that you might be less than fully comfortable, says optometrist Jason Marcellus, OD.

“Your refractive surgery team should talk with you about what to expect before, during and after LASIK and fully prepare you,” Dr. Marcellus emphasizes. “It’s important to know that you may have some discomforts and that it’s completely normal.”

What LASIK surgery feels like

During LASIK surgery itself, you shouldn’t feel any pain.

“We place numbing drops in your eyes so that you don’t feel pain during refractive surgery,” Dr. Marcellus shares.

What will you feel?

You may notice a bit of pressure as the lasers work to shape your cornea. Most people describe it as the feeling you get when you put a contact lens in your eye.

You might also notice a brief moment of suction. That’s the machine holding your eye in place. Weird? Sure. Painful? Nah.

Will you be in pain after LASIK?

You may feel some pain after your LASIK procedure, after the numbing drops wear off. When you leave your surgeon’s office, your eyes will still be numb, and the world might look like you’re looking through dirty glasses.

It takes about an hour to two hours for the numbing drops to wear off. When they do, you may feel some pain — like a stinging or burning sensation that makes it hard to keep your eyes open. And your eyes may water.

“During LASIK, we create a flap in your cornea and reshape the tissue underneath. When you blink, it irritates that flap. It’s like touching a hangnail — it stings,” Dr. Marcellus explains. “The good news is that it goes away in an hour or two. And if you take a nap, you might sleep right through it.”

Is LASIK recovery painful?

Longer term, you may feel discomforts like dry eye or itchiness in the months after LASIK. But will that hurt?

Probably not, says Dr. Marcellus.

Remember that some of the nerves in your eye get cut during your LASIK procedure. That keeps the center of your eye numb long after the numbing drops wear off.

“After LASIK, a lot of people experience dry eyes. But they don’t necessarily feel it because that part of the eye can stay numb for several weeks,” he adds.

Tips for managing LASIK-related pain

You can avoid most pain following a LASIK procedure by closing your eyes, taking over-the-counter pain relievers and using artificial tears regularly.

Here’s what Dr. Marcellus recommends:

• Napping. Resting your eyes after surgery gives them the blink-free break they need to heal quickly. “If you can sleep for an hour or two after surgery, most people will wake up feeling fine and with their vision about 90% clear,” he says.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain meds. A dose of an OTC pain reliever can help manage discomfort. Your provider may recommend taking something like Tylenol® (acetaminophen) or Advil® (ibuprofen) soon after surgery to take the edge off.
• Sunglasses. After LASIK, your eyes may be more sensitive to light. Wear dark sunglasses to help keep them happy and healthy.
• Artificial tears. Combat dry eye by using artificial tears four times per day. And if you’re noticing some haziness in your vision, that’s a good sign you could benefit from some drops, too.
• Keep your hands away. Avoid the temptation to rub your eyes after LASIK. Touching your eyes can be painful as they heal, and it can disturb the healing process. Your provider may recommend sleeping in protective eyewear to keep you from accidentally touching your eyes in your sleep.

All in all, LASIK shouldn’t be painful. And if the discomforts last more than a few hours after surgery, a call to your surgical team is appropriate.

“Most people should have a follow-up appointment the day or two after surgery, so if you’re in pain, it’s definitely something to bring up,” Dr. Marcellus advises.

Chances are, the next day you’ll be feeling just fine. And your vision? Good as gold.