It’s normal to feel trepidation about undergoing any form of surgery – but arming yourself with the facts can help reduce your anxiety and provide reassurance. Here are some of the common fears and worries that people often have about laser eye surgery.

• Can you go blind from laser eye surgery? It’s extremely unlikely. With LASIK surgery, the risk is negligible; there has never been a recorded case of total blindness. For a period of time following the procedure, your eyesight may be blurry, or you may experience glare or other visual symptoms while your eyes heal. These normally improve after a few weeks.
• Is laser eye surgery painful? Your eyes will be numbed with anaesthetic drops, so you won’t feel a thing during the procedure. Afterwards, you may feel some discomfort; dry eye is a common side-effect during the recovery period, but this can be treated with artificial tears.
• What if I blink? You might be worried about the prospect of staying absolutely still during surgery. Won’t it ruin the results if you turn your head, move your eyes or blink? Luckily, a hi-tech pupil tracking device means that the laser can adapt to your eye position. If there is a sudden movement or a problem with your position, the laser will stop completely.

As a patient, you may feel passive and helpless in terms of the risks. However, there are steps you can take to improve the likelihood of a safe procedure, free from complications.

• Choose a skilled and experienced surgeon with a track record of excellent results. Check their statistics to see how many people have required repeat treatment following their initial procedure.
• Do your bit to prepare for laser eye surgery by following any instructions given by your surgeon.
• Take it easy during recovery; by avoiding swimming and showering in the early days you’ll reduce your risk of infection.