Injections and Needles are not used during LASIK laser eye surgery. Instead, topical anesthetic drops are the only type of anesthesia used to numb the eye during laser surgery. Patients are awake and comfortable during surgery. A patient from Camarillo worriedly asked me today if injections or any sorts of needles were used to numb the eye during LASIK laser eye surgery. I was able to reassure her that no needles or injections are used at all during LASIK! The only anesthetic used is a topical eye drop, which very effectively numbs the eye.
Also patients are not put to sleep with general anesthesia during LASIK. Patients are comfortable during surgery and are awake. They do not see anything scary coming towards them and do not feel any pain. LASIK eye surgery is short, taking two minutes or so per eye. If patients feel nervous just before having surgery, however, we do have a mild oral sedative (Valium) that we can give right before surgery. Most patients end up not opting for this and find the surgery surprisingly easy — and quick — to go through.
One of the reasons that patients should not be put to sleep during LASIK is that the risk of general anesthesia is higher than the risk of LASIK itself — and it really just isn’t necessary to put patients to sleep during their surgery. The one exception to this is that, in some cases, very young pediatric patients are placed under general anesthesia and put to sleep during their surgery, but LASIK in this very young pediatric populations remains somewhat controversial and should only be performed very cautiously and rarely.
After the LASIK procedure is over, it is normal to have a very mild degree of irritation without any further anesthesia, much like being out in the wind — or less. This typically is completely gone by the next day at which time the eyes feel essentially back to normal.
So, reassuringly, the only anesthesia used during LASIK is a topical numbing drop right before the procedure. That’s it!
See Also
Refractive Surgery: An In Depth Look at LASIK and a Brief Overview of PRK, epi-LASIK, and LASEK
An American Academy of Ophthalmology document discussing anesthetic drops and other techniques in laser refractive surgeries, including LASIK, PRK, epi-LASIK, and LASEK.
LASIK and PRK: Frequently Asked Questions
A discussion of various issue of interest regarding LASIK and PRK laser eye surgery, including anesthesia and topical anesthetic drops.
FDA Approves New Anesthetic Drop
Blog discussing a new topical anesthetic drop for eye surgery.
LASIK: What Should I Expect Before, During, and After Surgery?
A discussion from the FDA LASIK website about what happens before, during, and after your LASIK laser vision correction surgery.
ISRS Refractive Surgery: Procedures
A description of LASIK from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the International Society of Refractive Surgery
Ice-Cold BSS Pre-Treatment Limits Pain of Surface Ablation Procedures
PRK surgery tends to have greater discomfort that LASIK. Pre=treatment with ice cold sterile saline, along with topical anesthesia, is shown to help minimize discomfort with PRK.