To improve nearsightedness and astigmatism a cool beam of light gently reshapes the surface of the cornea, making it more like a normal eye. Light can then focus at the back of the eye, on the retina, making images on the retina clear, thereby improving your vision. To improve farsightedness the laser reshapes the cornea in a painless 1.4 second procedure so that light can be precisely focused on the retina. Laser vision correction is designed to be a onetime treatment that may reduce the condition overall, while also reducing or eliminating your dependence on glasses and contact lenses. No, the treatment itself is painless.
Some patients experience discomfort for one to three days after treatment.
Many patients compare this to a sensation of sand in the eye. Your doctor can prescribe pain medication to alleviate any discomfort during the recovery. The normal eye is a perfect sphere, where the cornea and lens focus light to form an image on the back inside surface of the eye, known as the retina. With nearsightedness, the cornea's curvature is too steep for the shape of the eye. The light is focused in front of the retina, causing images of distant objects to appear blurry.