Your eyes will be anesthetized with special drops. You will then lie down, and one of our ophthalmologists – Dr. Scott Petermann or Dr. Wes Ross - will make sure your eye is positioned directly under the laser. (One eye is operated on at a time.) A device is gently placed in your eye to keep your eyelids open. Normally, this is not uncomfortable. An ink marker will be used to indicate where the flap should be placed. A small incision is then made with a laser. (During the procedure, you won’t actually see the creation of the flap, which is very thin.) You will be asked to look at a target light for a short time while the surgeon watches your eye through a microscope to make sure it remains in the correct position while the laser sends pulses of light to your cornea. The laser is able track your eye so that small movements do not affect the outcome. The laser uses a cool, ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove very tiny bits of tissue from the cornea to reshape it. You’ll hear a steady clicking sound as the laser is operating. You’re also likely to smell a mild odor due to the tissue removal. The flap is then laid back into place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed. No stitches are necessary. During the procedure, our surgeons will use a computer to adjust the laser for your particular prescription. The higher your prescription, the more time the surgery will take.