Fear of Eye Surgery — You’re Not Alone!

If you are considering vision correction surgery, it’s normal that you feel a bit apprehensive about the procedure. But at Atlantic Eye, we have seen first-hand how life-changing vision correction surgery can be, and each member of our team is dedicated to ensuring that your vision correction experience is as comfortable as possible.

Procedures like EVO Visian ICL Lens, LASIK, and PRK can help our patients free themselves from glasses or contact lenses and enjoy clear vision. That said, it’s our natural instinct to protect our eyes, so the thought of a laser or blade even approaching this delicate area understandably prompts anxiety or fear in many patients. In our experience, many patients’ eye surgery fears have to do with the unknown—an educated patient is far less likely to fear vision correction surgery.

Fears vs. Facts About Vision Correction Surgery
Let’s take a closer look at some of the top vision correction surgery fears/myths we have encountered among our patients and the facts that help reduce their anxieties.

Fear #1: This is a new and risky procedure.
Actually, Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) procedures have a very long, successful, and low-risk history. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the first ICL surgeries were performed nearly 30 years ago, in 1993. Vision correction surgeries are among the most frequently performed procedures, with roughly 800,000 performed each year in the United States. ICL has been approved in the European Union since 1997, and more than 1 million ICLs have been implanted. In a survey, 99.4% of patients that have had the EVO Visian ICL procedure said they would have the procedure again. The popularity of these procedures is due in large part to their effectiveness and low-risk profile.

Fear # 2: Vision correction surgery is painful.
We will apply anesthetic eye drops before your procedure, so your eyes will be numb. The vast majority of our patients report that the procedure was much easier than they expected and that they only felt a sensation of pressure for a few moments.

Fear #3: I could mess the procedure up if I blink my eyes.
It is not possible for you to “mess up” your vision correction surgery by blinking. Once your eyes have been fully numbed, your natural urge to blink diminishes. We will also apply a special device that will hold your eyelids open, so blinking will never be an issue you need to worry about.

Fear #4: I don’t like the idea of being awake during eye surgery.
Vision correction surgery takes between approximately 20 to 30 minutes per procedure, and your eyes will be fully numb for the duration of your procedure. You should feel no pain and will not need to be concerned about not blinking or not moving your eyes, and being awake will allow you to interact with your surgeon if needed. If you still feel nervous about being awake during your procedure, please let us know: we can give you an oral sedative to help you stay calm and relaxed.

Fear #5: I could go blind after vision correction surgery.
Having concerns about the safety of refractive surgery is normal. While all surgical procedures involve some risk, the US FDA has reviewed the data related to the devices and procedures used for refractive surgery and determined they are reasonably safe and effective. In fact, the risk of losing vision due to a complication of refractive surgery is less than 1%.

Still, have fears? Contact us at Atlantic Eye.
Don’t let fear prevent you from pursuing a vision correction procedure that can make such a difference to your daily life. We have guided countless patients through eye surgery and will take extra care to make sure that you fully understand what to expect. Rest assured that the Atlantic Eye team will help you feel calm and comfortable during every step of your procedure. For more information on vision correction surgery, we invite you to contact us today.