Is laser treatment painful?

No, laser eye treatment is not painful because you are given numbing eye drops before the procedure. As a result, you won't feel any pain during laser treatment, but you may perceive a slight pressure or touch.

Temporary discomfort may occurafter treatment, however, depending on the method:

- FemtoLASIK & SMILE: Often no or minimal irritation. Sometimes a sand-grain sensation, but this disappears within a few hours.

- PRK: Burning and light sensitivity may occur for the first 3 to 5 days as the corneal surface needs to recover.

Most patients experience mild irritation or tearing eyes at most in the first few hours after the procedure. With PRK, discomfort may last longer, but pain-relieving eye drops help to ease this.

Your eye doctor will discuss with you in advance exactly what to expect, depending on the technique chosen.