Table of Contents
- Do I have to be awake during the LASIK Procedure?
- Can I blink during LAISK corrective eye surgery:
- Sleep during LASIK surgery:
- What to expect in post-surgery conditions?
- Why do doctors prefer local anaesthesia over general anaesthesia for LASIK?
- LASIK FAQ’s:
Ignite your curiosity here about “Are you awake during LASIK? Blinking and sleep during LASIK, post-surgery expectations, and much more. Let’s explore.
Blurry vision hinders us from enjoying our surroundings and creates problems seeing and handling the essentials in everyday use. So, we must opt for its treatment, which would be oral or surgical medicines. After biting the bullet, we should have to go for LASIK surgery. In surgical procedures, we know that we must get anaesthesia to avoid any discomfort during the LASIK. Staying awake during the LASIK surgery would make you more conscious, and you would be bombarded with different weird thoughts.
You must stay awake during the LASIK surgery because your surgeon must get your response. You don’t have to worry about all the questions, like Do I have to wake up, and other weird thoughts because you will be given the local anaesthesia that is used to numb the specific area for the surgery. After walking on eggshells, your doctor will recover you from eyesight problems that could be nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.
Do I have to be awake during the LASIK Procedure?
When someone goes for surgery, they will become more conscious of their health. During other surgeries, including eye procedures, your doctor will give you sedatives and anaesthesia, and you will go into an unconscious state or on mode. People will think the same would happen in their LASIK case. When they know they will have to be awake during the LASIK surgery, they will ask questions like are you awake during the LASIK? to the people who have gone to LASIK recently.
The answer would be yes; you would have to be awake during the LASIK to respond to the doctor performing your eye surgery. You would be asked to glare at the white light source on his head. LASIK is a critical procedure, but with the help of advanced technology, it is performed very efficiently.
There is a 99% chance that if your friend would have to be gone for the LASIK eye surgery, he will ask the doctor, will he have to be awake during my LASIK eye surgery? The reason is that everyone is conscious about their health. At the same time, in the case of eye, nose, and ear surgery, they get super conscious about whether the surgery will proceed successfully or if they will get some complications with eye surgery.
I will clarify: You must be awake during the LASIK procedure so your ophthalmologist can perform the surgical operation more cooperatively and efficiently. In LASIK surgery, your doctor fixes corneal refractive error while you are awake. You will not feel any discomfort because you are being injected with local anaesthesia and oral sedatives.
Can I blink during LAISK corrective eye surgery:
You will blink if you are awake in a normal condition. But when preparing for the surgery, your doctor will give you medicines or inject sedatives to control your blinking reflex to avoid blinking during the procedure.
In LASIK, first, your doctor will give you local anaesthesia and numbing drops. Then, your doctor will create a flap to fix the cornea so your retina can make a clear image. The LASIK procedure will take about 20-30 minutes, during which you must wake up. You will wonder how fast the procedure is, and in uncertainty, you will ask your doctor whether it is done. You don’t have to worry about anything such as blinking, sneezing, or anything else during LASIK eye surgery because the LASIK instrument would shut down upon any abnormal condition.
Moreover, different tools are used to keep your eyes open during the surgery, and you will not need to blink during the LASIK surgery. So, don’t get hyped by such questions as what happens if I blink during the LASIK eye surgery. The doctors and the medical staff would be highly professional when you are trying to get your LASIK surgery. They would manage all your queries or complications.
Sleep during LASIK surgery:
Sleep during the LASIK is dangerous because your doctor needs attention from you to stare at the light source from the Laser tool so that your doctor can make a corneal flap to fix your refractive error and make the proper clear image on the retina. So, you need to be awake during your LASIK surgery. You don’t have to worry about sleep because you must stay awake for 20 minutes, and after that, you can sleep. Your doctor will highly recommend you get bed rest as much as possible to bring fast healing.
What to expect in post-surgery conditions?
You will get better after your LASIK procedure, but it is not as expected that just after your surgery, you can see things clearly as a normal healthy eye can see. In the first few days, you will see things blurry, but as your cornea heals, it will direct the light onto the correct position on the retina, and you will see things. You can get dryness and itchiness in your eyes, but you must follow your doctor’s guidelines and medical prescriptions. But in rare conditions, you will not get the good results you expect from LASIK.
But in 90+ percent of cases, you will see things better without your glasses, and in most critical and rare situations, you would have to use the glasses. You will get freedom from the glasses most of the time. Now you can enjoy your colorful life and see nature’s lush green grass, fairy tales, and whatever you want.
Why do doctors prefer local anaesthesia over general anaesthesia for LASIK?
General anaesthesia is used to numb the whole body, and there is a higher chance you will fall asleep during the procedure because of the anaesthesia; in that case, your doctor does not need any cooperation except to fall on the surgery bed and other factors such as you will feel drowsiness. But as discussed above, your doctor will use local LASIK anaesthesia to numb the specific part. To avoid drowsiness and get a visual response from your side. So, local anaesthesia will be considered safe and effective during LASIK surgery.
LASIK FAQ’s:
Can I smoke after LASIK?
Absolutely not! If you are a passive smoker and you have a craving for smoking, then you can ask your doctor. But there is a high chance that despite the high craving for smoking, your doctor will recommend you not to smoke.
What happens if I cry or sneeze during LASIK?
In the case of sneezing or crying; your doctor will stop the procedure and can emotionally and morally give you support and give anti-anxiety medicine to stay calm during the LASIK surgery.
Are you under anesthesia for LASIK?
Yes, you would be given local anaesthesia and numbing drops before the LASIK surgery to avoid any discomfort and get over this surgery to stay pain-free.
How long is the LASIK procedure or surgery?
The LASIK surgery is not too long, taking only 20-30 minutes for both eyes. Before that, your doctor will take time to prepare you for the procedure, which is so fast that you will wonder whether it is done.
How long is the recovery time after LASIK?
An estimated time to recover from the LASIK is about 3 months. After that, you will not have to take medicines or eat anything you want.
How probable is it that I will have complications after LASIK?
The success rate of LASIK surgery is 90.2%. There is a 90% chance that you will not get any complications after your LASIK, and the probability would become near zero when handled by an experienced doctor.
What is the likelihood that something might go wrong during my LASIK procedure?
The chance of getting something wrong during a LASIK procedure depends on your doctor’s experience. The more experienced the doctor from whom you are getting surgical service is, the less risk is involved.
I’m feeling nervous about being awake during LASIK eye surgery. How can I stay calm?
If you are feeling nervous about being awake during the LASIK surgery, your doctor will give you anti-anxiety medicine so you can calm down and feel better. The procedure is entirely painless.
References:
Center for Devices and Radiological Health. (2022, October 7). LASIK. U.S. Food And Drug Administration.
LASIK — Laser eye surgery. (2023, December 11). American Academy of Ophthalmology.
LASIK surgery: Is it right for you? (2023, June 27). Mayo Clinic.
healthstreamings. (2023, November 29). Does LASIK eye surgery hurt? time-it-takes-& pre and post treatment. HealthStreamings.
