The surgery is performed in the recumbent position, with the patient either resting on a bed or in a reclining chair. The eye is first cleaned and draped. Numbing eye drops are instilled and a speculum is inserted to help prop the lids open. A tight pressure sensation may be felt at this stage which is also generally considered to be the most uncomfortable part of the procedure. An instrument is used to mark the cornea surface and the actual Lasik procedure now begins.
A suction ring is placed on the eye to provide a base for the microkeratome which is used to create the cornea flap. Suction is applied to hold the eye steady and to maintain the internal eye pressure while the cornea flap is being made. Do not be alarmed if your vision becomes dim or dark at this stage. You will hear a high pitch mechanical sound for about five to ten seconds. Suction is then released and vision returns. The cornea flap is now folded out of the way to expose the deeper layers of cornea tissue for the laser treatment phase.
For the laser treatment phase, you will be asked to fix your gaze at a blinking red light. The excimer laser is triggered and the high pitch clacking noise of the laser is heard and a slight smell may be detected. The laser is guided by information fed from the computer programme as it precisely sculpts the inner layers of the cornea according to your spectacles prescription. For myopia correction, the laser essentially reshapes the cornea curvature into a flatter curve. This part of the procedure will lasts about 15 to 45 seconds depending on the amount of correction required.
Once the laser stage is completed, the cornea flap is unfolded back into its original position. After a short wait of two minutes, the flap will bond itself back naturally without the need for stitches.
14) What if I blink or move my eyes during the procedure?
Blinking is not a problem as your eye is propped open throughout the procedure by the lid speculum. When the cornea flap is being created, you will not be able to move your eye as it is held firmly by the strong suction force exerted through the suction ring.
During the laser phase, you are required to keep your gaze fixed at the blinking red light straight ahead.
Do not worry that your eye may inadvertently drift away as the surgeon is closely monitoring the procedure throughout and can halt treatment at any time should drifting occur. In addition, all modern lasers have a sophisticated built-in eye tracking system that will actively follow any small movements of your eye. This will ensure that the laser treatment is applied at the right spot throughout the procedure.
15) What if there is a power failure?
All reliable Lasik systems will come equipped with a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) back-up of at least two hours. This is more than enough for a procedure that takes only about 10 minutes.
