When it comes to laser eye surgery, most people think it is as simple as pointing a laser at the eye, turning it on, and then it’s done.

However, as any eye surgeon will tell you, it is a bit more involved than that!

Indeed, when it comes to treatments such as corneal transplant, or even eye lens replacement surgery, there are a few steps that your eye surgeon will need to take to ensure the surgery goes well and you get the results you want.

So, without further ado, if you are going to undertake refractive laser eye surgery, what can you expect from the process? Read on to find out.

Assessment and Preparation

Firstly, your optical team will need to confirm you are eligible for the refractive laser eye treatment.

While it may seem that everyone is suited for it, people who are under the age of 18 or take certain medications may not be able to undertake Trans PRK Brisbane surgery.

Once you have passed the assessment with the best laser eye surgeon and the big day arrives, you will need to call on a friend or family member to escort you. Your eye surgeon will apply numbing eye drops to your eye and use a specialized instrument to hold them open. This device may be a lid speculum; it won’t hurt and will stop you from blinking.

Flap Creation

Using a microkeratome laser, or a femtosecond laser, your surgeon will create a thin flap of skin on your cornea, allowing them to access the underlying tissue.

For this part, you will most likely see a flashing light, so it’s nothing to worry about!

Cornea Reshaping

This is where the heavy laser comes in.

Using some prechosen measurements, your surgeon will use the laser to reshape your cornea using short bursts of light. The process takes between 10-15 minutes per eye, and you won’t feel a thing.

Afterward, you may notice that your eyes feel dry and itchy; this is normal, and the surgeon will put eye drops into your eyes to ease the sensation.

Closing the Flap

Once your cornea has been reshaped, your surgeon will carefully replace the flap that was created earlier and will smooth out any wrinkles.

They do this by putting a thin layer of surgical glue (yes, it is designed for the eye) over the flap and smoothing it out. This will cause the flap to close without causing any vision issues.

Once the flap is closed, they will likely place an eye patch over your eye or eyes, after which you will need to rely on the friend or family member that you brought in to take you home! After a few hours, you can remove the eye patch.

Recovery

For the next few days after the surgery, you will need to apply drops to your eyes while they heal.

You should try to prevent rubbing them or itching them, as this can cause the flap to reopen and may introduce infection. As your eyesight clears, be sure to keep up your appointments with your optician to ensure it is all going to plan.