Undergoing Lasik eye surgery is a life-changing experience, and the results of this vision correction procedure are often astounding to patients, who typically experience the benefits shortly after the eye procedure is performed. While some may expect laser surgery to be painful, it is in fact both painless and safe. Lasik surgery is also a very short outpatient procedure, the procedure itself lasting only a few short minutes.

Laser eye surgery treatment is a rather simple process and begins when a local anesthetic is administered to numb the eye. Once anesthetized, the surgeon will create what is referred to as the corneal flap. He or she will then reshape the cornea, a change that will allow your eye to see more clearly as light will now be reflected by the cornea at the proper angle. Once the reshaping is complete, your eye doctor will put the corneal flap back into place and seal it. Shortly thereafter, patients are usually free to go home.

On the day after your Lasik surgery, you will already begin to notice a dramatic change in your vision. Your vision will continue to improve over the next several days as your eyes begin to heal. However, it can take up to a several months before your vision completely stabilizes. This will cause your vision to slightly change from day-to-day, but the level of discomfort is typically considered mild.

Once you arrive home after your surgery, you will be asked to rest your eyes for the remainder of the day, this will allow the eyes to heal, and ensure minimal irritation. Often, the eyes will feel dry, but they should not hurt. It is very important not to rub or squeeze your eyes, as this can create corneal flap complications. You will also be given eye drops, as well as a schedule detailing when, and how often to administer them.

Follow-up appointments with your doctor are extremely important when it comes to proper Lasik eye surgery recovery. Follow-up examinations should be scheduled for the next day, the next week, and one, three, and six months after your surgical procedure, depending on the advice of your eye doctor. These visits will allow the eye doctor and his staff to check that your eyes are healing properly. Any complications with your Lasik surgery will be spotted and corrected at this time.

While Lasik is an extremely safe surgical procedure, there are some side effects that can occur. Night vision may worsen because of glare and halos. Dry eye is very common, but can be treated with eye drops. Induced astigmatism is also another common side effect of laser vision correction. There are other complications associated with Lasik surgery, problems such as epithelial in-growth and corneal flap complications can also be a result of laser vision correction surgery. These problems can be treated by your eye doctor.

While many people who are evaluated for Lasik do qualify as being a good candidate for the procedure, not everyone is. A Lasik evaluation is the only way to know if you do qualify. You could be one of the millions of patients whose vision can be dramatically changed for the better by receiving laser eye surgery.