What Happens During Laser Eye Surgery? A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Knowing exactly what will happen on the day of your laser eye surgery can transform nervous anticipation into calm confidence. This step-by-step guide walks you through the entire experience at K Vision Centre — from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave with clearer vision.

Arrival and preparation: You will arrive at the clinic approximately 30 minutes before your procedure time. A member of the clinical team will welcome you, confirm your details, and administer anaesthetic eye drops that numb the surface of your eyes completely. You will not feel any pain during the procedure. A mild sedative can be offered if you feel particularly anxious, though most patients manage comfortably without one.

The laser suite: You will be guided into a temperature-controlled, clean-room environment housing the laser systems. You will lie down on a comfortable reclining bed that positions you directly beneath the laser. Miss Khanam will talk you through every step as it happens — there are no surprises. A small speculum (clip) gently holds your eyelids open so you do not need to worry about blinking.

The procedure itself: For LASIK, a femtosecond laser first creates a thin corneal flap in approximately 20 seconds — you may feel a brief sensation of pressure but no pain. The flap is gently lifted, and the excimer laser reshapes your cornea according to your personalised treatment profile. This active laser time typically lasts 10 to 60 seconds depending on your prescription. You will be asked to look at a green fixation light, and an advanced eye tracker follows your eye movements thousands of times per second to ensure perfect laser placement.

For PRK or SMILE, the steps differ slightly — PRK involves gentle removal of the surface epithelium before laser treatment, while SMILE uses a single laser to create and extract a small lenticule through a keyhole incision. Miss Khanam will have explained your specific procedure type in full detail at your consultation.

Immediately after: The entire procedure for both eyes takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Once complete, Miss Khanam will examine your eyes under the slit lamp, apply protective eye drops, and — for some procedures — place transparent protective shields over your eyes. Your vision will already be noticeably different, though slightly hazy, like looking through a light mist.

Going home: You will need someone to drive you home, as your vision will still be settling. Most patients report mild grittiness or watering for the first few hours. The best thing to do is go home, close your eyes, and rest. When you open them a few hours later, many patients are amazed by how much clearer the world already appears.

The following morning, you will return to the clinic for a post-operative check. Most LASIK patients are already seeing well enough to drive, and many return to work the same day. Miss Khanam will confirm everything is healing beautifully and schedule your next follow-up.