How Does Laser Eye Surgery Actually Work

Ever considered getting laser eye surgery, but didn’t know how it worked? Allow us to help!

There are three different main types of laser eye surgery: LASIK, SMILE, and Surface Laser Treatments, and each can be explained pretty easily.

LASIK uses two lasers to open up a thin flap on the surface of the cornea, and then reshapes the cornea underneath. The flap is then placed back over the reshaped cornea, and heals independently with time.

SMILE uses one laser to reshape the cornea through a small, self-healing hole.

And Surface Eye Treatments remove the clear skin over the eye, to then reshape the cornea underneath with - you guessed it - a laser!

[TheLinposterIsSus]

Me seeing the flap not getting put back gage off “ay they still got the stick in there” energy

[TetraSky]

I've gone through LASIK twice. The first time, it didn't result in a perfect result and I needed a touch up. Problem is, you need to wait 6 months in between for your eyes to heal. So I had blurry vision for 6 months. Fun time. That said, I would do it again. Cost me CA$3500 for both eyes and a lifetime "warranty" as long as I pay them $90 every two years or so for an eye exam.
Probably the scariest experience in my life and was quite traumatizing. I was shaking like a leaf both times afterward. It's scary to see that green laser just... in front of your eyes, then all goes black for a bit... and it smells like burnt hair (I'm told this was the air burning up and not the eye being burnt up to reshape it? I dunno)

[radon._.]

This video just encouraged me to continue wearing glasses

[rypokemon]

I had Lasik surgery last thursday.
I was so scared, yet the results are amazing! Thanks for making this video!

[AR_]

Thanks for explaining all that in literally 30 seconds! Although I'm still a teen it's great to know how it works since I know a few people that have gotten laser eye surgery before! :D

[chizrocker]

I had PRK done in July after wearing glasses for 27 years and it's the best decision I've ever made. If anyone's considering getting it or LASIK I strongly recommend it!

[MrMasterDebate]

Laser eye surgery has a chance to leave someone with permanent dry eye, and they don’t count these people as bad outcomes. Having to put drops in their eyes multiple times per day

[drpittbull]

Well, here is my story - I have both the dry eyes and halos. Halos at night have from the start been bad, but 10 years on - they are debilitating. I can barely drive. I have to use glasses again to make the image sharper, but halos can’t be fixed with glasses. Even daytime the vision is at 80-90% and i had 20/20 directly after surgery. I always had really large eye pupils, an apparently if you have that you are in the risk category to get severe halo side-effects. I wish someone told me that when I was going through the operation. And fun fact, I’m suppose to get my pilot’s license in the next 2 years, i’m pretty concerned i will never be able to do that now. Makes me think I should have stuck to glasses from the beginning as now fixing this seems impossible.

Just in case people don’t know what halos are, imagine a tiny LED light, like the on light in your pc for example. Well, after the operation my eye sees it as massive beams of light blasting out of the light source. It is 3-5 times larger that it is. Now imagine all of the artificial light sources become several time larger than they are at night. Oncoming traffic lights are so big that I can’t even see my own lanes in front of me and they are covered by the light. On top of that as my eye is trying to adjust the focus all of these light sources also move and fluctuate as The eye it trying to focus. My whole vision is like a kaleidoscope. Even the text on my phone right now has is smudged and layered.

[beepboop]

The idea of this scares me for some reason. Can they just knock me unconscious?

[chuckh]

I've seen how it works in a final destination movie. No thanks lol

[Account]

had it done a month ago, got 20/10 vision now, worth every penny

[BirdyIsWatchIn]

I had a laser eye surgery, but it was for the muscles in the back of my eye. Had it 4 times on both eyes. Its a lot scary I am told than lasik.

[dearsal]

love it!!! others could make a 30 minutes BLA BLA video. THANKS!

[carlocilloni]

I did LASIK a year ago. Best choice of my life.

[josiahlee]

I really don’t like the fact that for this surgery I’m actually able to see it happen with my very eyes

[Davi_L]

I'm getting SMILE eye surgery done in a month and of course this shows up on my feed😂. Super excited!

[yourdad]

I just remembered final destination 😌😌

[IKEMENOsakaman]

Ahhhh this is too scary even to watch on Youtube... :(

[Esmerelee]

Idc how bad my eyesight is, ever since I saw that Lasik eye surgery scene in Final Destination…I’m sticking to glasses lol

[chriskuva]

I had SMILE done in May 2022 and it was the best investment in myself ever. I've worn glasses for over 20 years so this was like a 2nd birthday for me lol. I had dry eyes for 1 week then eventually reached a perfect 20/20. The quality of my daily life has been substantially better. I used to wear contacts for several years too. Imagine contacts but never having to fumble around with them again! Sometimes I still get moments when I think I'm wearing my glasses, I try to take them off to shower and forget I have perfect vision now lol!