One of our patients recently described LASIK as “life-changing” and we couldn’t agree more. Realizing that you have perfect 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts really is an incredible feeling.

If you’ve worn glasses or contacts for your entire life, you may be intrigued by the thought of LASIK. But you may also still have some lingering questions.

To help clear things up for you, here are five things you should know before having LASIK:

• LASIK takes less than 20 minutes to complete

If you’re feeling nervous about LASIK you will be happy to learn it is a very short procedure. Less than 20 minutes, to be exact — shorter than an episode of This is Us.

• We promise the surgery isn’t scary

Look, we get it. Having a laser pointed at your eye sounds like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. It’s may sound scary but it isn’t.

First of all, your eyes will be completely numb so you won’t feel a thing. And your doctor may give you something to help you relax prior to surgery.

And you don’t have to worry about accidentally blinking or flinching during the surgery. Your doctor will use a device to keep your eyes open during the procedure.

• LASIK has an incredibly high success rate

90 percent of LASIK patients end up with 20/40 vision or better. And over 80 percent of patients said they are very happy with the results of their surgery.

• The procedure is incredibly safe

Whenever you are considering surgery, you should always weigh the risk versus the rewards. Thankfully, the risks are fairly minimal with LASIK.

Less than one percent of patients have complications. Possible complications include dry eyes, halos around light, and blurred vision.

• The recovery time is very short

You will need to give your eyes time to rest immediately following surgery. But most people start feeling better the day after surgery.

You will need to wait several days to drive and it could take a couple weeks for your eyes to begin to feel totally normal. But you won’t be stuck on the couch for months recovering.

The best way to learn more about LASIK is by scheduling your LASIK consultation. Your Bangor LASIK doctor will examine your eyes and determine whether or not you are a good candidate for LASIK. Contact us today!