What to Expect

What to Expect with LASIK at the Dean McGee Eye Institute

Congratulations! Your free LASIK screening* was a positive experience, and the surgeon approved you for surgery at your LASIK consultation. Now it’s time for your life-changing LASIK surgery.

Here’s what you can expect on the day of surgery and also during the post-op and recovery period afterward.

The Day of Your LASIK Surgery

Expect to be at the Stephenson Refractive Surgery Center at the Dean McGee Eye Institute for 3-4 hours on the day of surgery.

When you arrive you’ll be checked in, finish your paperwork, and then be given an oral medication to help you relax. You’ll be taken to the pre-op room where post-op instructions will be reviewed with you and any final questions answered.

You’ll be in our laser suite for about 30 minutes. You’ll lie flat on a special chair designed for use under the lasers, and we’ll cover you with a blanket to keep you warm. We’ll administer numbing drops to both eyes and disinfect your eyelids.

Your surgeon will talk through each step of the procedure, explaining what is happening and what you can expect. You will focus on a small light as part of a system that tracks your eye movement. Should you blink or move your eye, the laser will shut off automatically until your eye returns to the proper position. In addition, you will not feel pain during the procedure, only slight pressure — so don’t worry!

The actual LASIK procedure only takes about 5 minutes per eye (yes, it’s that quick!) and the effect is immediate, although your vision may be blurry for a time while your eyes rehydrate and the drops we use on your eyes wear off.

LASIK Surgery Post-Op and Recovery

Immediately after surgery, we’ll take you back to the post-op room. Here, your surgeon will take a close look to make sure the LASIK flap is properly in place and everything looks good. After this, you’re on your way home!

We’ll give you post-op instructions with all the details you need for a successful recovery. Please note that you’ll take antibiotic and steroid eye drops to help with healing and artificial tears to keep your eyes moist and comfortable during the first week.

It’s important to avoid touching or rubbing your eyes or getting anything in them, even during sleep. Don’t worry — we’ll give you eye shields to keep your eyes safe when you’re resting.

#SeeGlassesFree Sunrise!

“Wow!” – “Amazing!” – “Unbelievable!” … These are just some of the words patients use to describe the experience of waking up the next morning after LASIK surgery to find they truly can #SeeGlassesFree!

What word will you use? We’d love to know at your first day post-op visit, where your surgeon will take a look to make sure everything is as it should be. We’ll then let you get on with living your new lens-free life!

The relationship with your surgeon doesn’t end there. Your surgeon will check you one more time during the first week and then have you come back in several weeks or several months, depending on how you are healing. This allows your surgeon to monitor the health of your eye and any changes in your vision that occur as your cornea heals. In fact, as part of the Dean McGee difference, your surgeon follows you for a full year after your surgery to make sure you achieve the best outcome possible. If you have concerns at any point along the way your surgeon is always here to care for you.