Most people show up for laser eye surgery with a vague idea that lasers will fix their vision, but the specifics are fuzzy. Knowing exactly what happens during a laser eye surgery procedure in Melbourne reduces anxiety and helps you prepare properly. The actual laser-on-eye time is surprisingly short—usually 20 to 40 seconds per eye for the reshaping part. Everything else is setup, numbing, positioning, and safety checks. Modern procedures are heavily automated with computer guidance, but there are still moments where the surgeon makes real-time adjustments based on how your specific eye responds.
What Happens Before You Even Enter the Laser Room
You’ll sit in a pre-op area where they confirm your identity multiple times and which eye is getting what correction. Surgical mix-ups are rare but the checklists exist for a reason. They’ll put numbing drops in your eyes—these sting for about five seconds then your eyes go numb. Takes a few minutes to fully kick in. You might get a mild sedative if you’re anxious, though most people don’t need it. They’ll clean around your eyes thoroughly and maybe trim your eyelashes slightly if they’re really long. You’ll remove contact lenses weeks before this day, but they’ll check anyway. Some clinics have you watch an educational video one more time. Others just walk you straight to the laser suite.
The Positioning and Setup Phase Nobody Talks About
You lie down on this recliner that slides under the laser machine. Your head goes into a padded rest and they’ll adjust it until you’re perfectly aligned. The surgeon positions a lid speculum—basically a small device that holds your eyelids open. Sounds worse than it feels because your eye is totally numb by now. You can’t blink even if you want to, which is the point. There’s a blinking light or target you need to stare at while the laser works. Keeping focused on that light is your only job. The machine tracks your eye’s position thousands of times per second, so small movements are fine, but you still try to stay still. They might mark your eye with a surgical marker for alignment reference points.
The Actual Laser Correction in Real Time
For LASIK, the femtosecond laser creates the corneal flap first. You feel pressure and your vision goes dark or blurry for maybe 15 seconds while this happens. Not painful, just weird pressure. The surgeon folds back this flap like turning a page in a book. Then the excimer laser does its thing—you smell something burning, which is literally your corneal tissue vaporizing in microscopic amounts. That smell freaks some people out but it’s normal. The laser makes clicking sounds as it pulses. This part is quick, usually under a minute. They rinse the area with saline solution and fold the flap back into place. It self-seals without stitches. For PRK, they remove the surface layer first, then apply the laser directly. No flap creation means no pressure sensation, but recovery takes longer.
Those First Minutes After the Laser Stops
Your vision is immediately blurry and watery when you sit up. They’ll check that everything looks good and probably put a clear protective shield over your eye. You need someone to drive you home—no exceptions. The numbing wears off within a couple hours and things get uncomfortable. Not excruciating, but scratchy and irritated like you’ve been swimming in chlorinated water all day. Light sensitivity is intense, so sunglasses even indoors for the rest of that day. You’ll start using antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops on a strict schedule. Most people sleep a lot that first afternoon because keeping your eyes closed just feels better. When you wake up, vision is usually noticeably clearer already, though still not perfect.
