Many patients want to know what will happen if you move your eye during LASIK or PRK. Since eye movement can affect your results, eye surgeons take precautions and use the latest technology to prevent movement of the eye during vision correction surgery. At Pena Eye Institute in Harlingen, TX, Dr. Raul A. Peña safely performs PRK and LASIK treatment to improve your vision so you no longer need eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Can Eye Movement Affect the Results of LASIK or PRK?

Moving your eye during LASIK or PRK can cause problems during the procedure, and may result in suboptimal outcomes or complications. To prevent this, eye surgeons use a variety of techniques to immobilize your eye during the surgery, such as eye drops, suction ring, a speculum that holds your eyelids open, and eye tracking technology.

How We Prevent Eye Movement

Some of our patients’ biggest concerns include blinking, sneezing, keeping their eyes open during surgery, or inadvertently moving their eyes during surgery. The precautions that we take, along with use of the latest LASIK technology, prevents eye movement during refractive surgery.

Calming Medication

In some cases, your eye surgeon may prescribe Valium or a similar medication before your LASIK procedure. The purpose of this is to help reduce anxiety and help you avoid sneezing and remain still during the surgery, which can improve the accuracy of the laser treatment.

Numbing Eye Drops

Numbing eye drops are commonly used during LASIK and PRK to reduce discomfort and pain during the procedure. The eye drops contain a local anesthetic, such as lidocaine or tetracaine, which works by blocking the pain signals from the nerves in the eye. The use of numbing eye drops can help you stay still during surgery.

Suction Ring to Dim or Blackout Vision

During LASIK surgery, a suction ring is used to create a vacuum seal on the eye and stabilize it while the corneal flap is being created. The suction ring can cause temporary changes in vision, such as significant dimming of the vision, due to the pressure it places on the eye.

By dimming your vision, you are less likely to move or feel the urge to blink or close your eyes during surgery.

Speculum

A speculum is a medical device used during surgery to hold the eyelids open and keep the eye still during the procedure. The eyelid speculum is put in place just prior to surgery at our Harlingen office; it physically prevents you from blinking or closing your eyes during treatment.

Eye Tracking Technology

Eye tracking technology is an important component of LASIK and PRK surgery. It is used to monitor the movement of the eye and ensure that the laser treatment is accurately targeting the desired area of the cornea.

During surgery, a device called an eye tracker is used to continuously monitor the position of the eye and adjust the laser treatment accordingly. The eye tracker uses infrared light to track the movement of the eye, and it can adjust the laser in real-time to compensate for any small movements or rotations of the eye.

Contact Pena Eye Institute

For more information, read our blog post on LASIK FAQs. To schedule an appointment, contact Pena Eye Institute in Harlingen today. You can call us at (956) 264-1200 or send us a message online.