How does laser eye surgery work? - Dan Reinstein 

Imagine being the first person he operated on

Wait, so I don't get to shoot laser out of my eyes after the surgery!?

I got lasik. I was in the chair for literally minutes, then went home and napped for two hours, and when i woke up my vision was better than 20/20 and haven't had any pain or side effects whatsoever since waking up. It's almost unbelievable

I got chills when narrator said "he would be slicing part of cornea, dunk in liquid nitrogen and shape it using a lathe and put back in" Its really amazing how people came up with such methods without very high precision tools that we find today. Hats off.

Nobody: TedEd: *Did you know that you're crying right now?*

People who don't have to wear eye-glasses are lucky af

I got my lasik surgery 3 years ago. Do you know how it feels like to be able to see without glasses or contact lenses? It felt like a miracle to me 😃

I still remember getting the operation done 10 or so years ago. It was one of the best experiences ever going from blurry indistinct images to crisp vision after just 15 minutes in the surgery.

Missed opportunity to say "get to know the three different tiers of tears" at the end

I always wondered how the heck laser eye surgery was invented.

I got the laser surgery 6 months ago. By far one of the best decision I've made in my life

I'm so glad I went for the surgery last week. The joy I felt after seeing the world without glasses is something I can't describe in words. It was all so overwhelming. Science has truly done wonders. I'm mad at myself for not doing it sooner. Been postponing this 15 mins surgery from the last 4-5 years.

Barraquer: So this is your cornea. Patient: WTF! Put it back! *proceeds to dunk it in liquid N*

The first person on whom Barraquer operated on had balls of steel!!!

I didn't realize they were going to cut my eye, peel it back and burn it slightly until it happened. This is a great video to explain the whole process.

I’ve had LASIK done a few years ago and was a big life changer, waking up and seeing crystal clear after years with glasses/ contact lenses it was so surreal, a bit frightening having it done but totally worth it, above 20-20 in both eyes after about 4 years of the op

When i first heard about it I thought they just pointed a laser into ur eye and u magically got ur vision back my disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.

The irony of putting glasses on a man who wanted a world without glasses. Well played, TED-Ed.

Kudos to all engineers and doctors!!! People usually take these advancements in life for granted.

In these kind of techniques, it's always the doctors/surgeons shown to be the ones placed in front .. but let's not forget the scientists and engineers who actually make all this possible. Thumbs up to them!

Had LASIK over a decade ago. Best money spent!

Got the surgery more than 20 years ago, and my vision is still good !! After the surgery my vision was greater than 20/20, but within a year it balanced back to 20/20 and remains the same since. During the surgery your conscious, they do put some kind of eye drop in your eyes so you don’t feel any pain. It literally takes less than 10 minutes, and you can see the laser going in your eye and feel it. After surgery they give some googles and tape them so you don’t accidentally touch your eye 👁. It takes around 1 week to heal, but to become fully healed is probably a year. You can do normal activity in the mean time, But nothing like boxing or some weird stuff involving eye contact. Hopefully this helps people trying to find answers before surgery.

I had the LASEK surgery on 17th Feb 2012. I have literally not "looked" back!!! 2015 standard and never had one single issue! Three cheers for modern medicine!

3:11 When he mentions the blade, my heart stopped.

“We go through 30 gallons of tears every year” Yeah. *I k n o w*

I have had this today. Absolutely zero pain during the procedure you just feel a little pressure on each eye and thats pretty much it! Came home took a nap and when I woke up my vision was 10/10 I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to check and tell me his final results and it’s pretty much done! Would recommend it’s totally painless and it’s literally a miracle!

I got lasik 3 years ago and it’s been amazing since then, I used contact lenses before the surgery for like 10 years and I was starting to get bad effects on my eyes like dry eye, constant infections, etc. I recommend the surgery 100%, not gonna lie the pain after the surgery was horrible I felt literally sand on my eyes but for half an hour only, because the pain medication was strong it put me to sleep and when I woke up it wasn’t as bad anymore. Nothing bad or weird has happened ever since. 🙆🏻‍♂️

I didn’t *SEE* this topic coming

I can barely get an eyelash outta my eye without being scared

I did femto lasik 2 years ago and my eyes got worst. Despite taking all the important nutrition till today like vit.A, E and Omega-3 etc, I'm suffering from severe dry eyes which keeps my eyes blur 24/7. No eye drops helped me so far and im back to where I started. Not just dry but my eyes went back to the shape it was before surgery. Now I got another eye problem for my entire life. Lasik fix was just a temporary but the side effect of it is forever now. I'm 25 now and I did the surgery at 23 and our eyes don't stay the same forever. The cornea changes again after some time and its not a permanent fix.

Had lasik 3 years ago. Was in pain for 19 hours after surgery. Was the worst burning sensation I’ve ever had. Most people don’t have pain afterwards. Was still WELL worth it despite the pain

I had LASIK a few years ago, best damned decision I ever made! Not only can I see without contacts, but I have better vision than I was able to get with contacts, no matter how much I tweaked my prescription. At first, I had no interest in LASIK, since I thought for sure there had to be a small risk of going blind. Turns out the most likely source of any damage will be if you don't follow the post-op process properly, so you gotta make sure to put your eye drops in and protect your eyes until they fully heal! I still thought the proceeded sounded scary, so I found a simulation video on RU-vid and watched it multiple times to psyche myself up. Turns out that was pointless, for 90% of the procedure, you can't clearly see anything! You can sure smell your burning corneas though! I glad I waited until now to get it done, some of the newer tech fixes issues like glare at night that older versions of LASIK had. Over all, very satisfied!

I’m watching this with my glasses on and planning to get one in the future. Once again, thanks ted ed!

My experience ... I had mono-lasik because I was 50. I was amazed at how well that worked for me. Happy, happy. But, after 10 years my vision was becoming a bit fuzzy. I was not prepared for that, and when the doctor said I need glasses again, I really freaked out. So, if you are middle-aged, ask your doctor how long the procedure lasts.

The surgery is awesome. I already did it and I highly recommend. It's really quickly and when I was able "to open up my eyes again" (after 2 or 3 days of recovery) it was one the best days of my life.

I yawned and a tear just rolled out of my eye and this dude says "did you know your crying right now?" Scared the crop out of me lol

5:14 "did you know that you are crying right now?" *me crying about wearing glasses* how did he know?

Ive worn glasses since 3rd grade.. 13 years later my vission is worse than ever an have astigmatism. Needing glasses has held me back with so much stuff like playing sports, swimming, and engaging in activities most people like. I hope one day i can afford this kind of surgery and that i will be able to enjoy the things I've always wanted to do.

It has been almost a year since I had Lasik. I can see 20/20 in both eyes now and still impressed at being able to see without glasses. Now, the only glasses I wear are sunglasses or yellow glasses for night driving.

I'm getting my LASIK Surgery done day after tomorrow. Anxious and excited! Can't wait to see how beautiful the world is without any barriers in between :)

Laser: *fixes eyes* Laser pointers: “You have become the very thing you swore to destroy”

what an awesome presentation - animations and sound effects all!! Cool!

I got Lasik less than a year ago and it was quite the experience. In the chair for about 10 minutes and as soon as I sat up I could already see a difference. Absolutely life changing. So glad I did it.

" One day soon, Barraquer's vision of a world without glasses may finally come true. " "Places sunglasses on his eyes"

It was the best thing I ever bought for myself. I can't recommend it enough. It was so freeing to be able to roll over and read the alarm clock without squinting. I do still occasionally get "artifacts" from having worn glasses and contacts for decades and suddenly not needing them, like I'll freak out for a second because I'll reach over and can't find my glasses... old habits die hard. Lasik changed my life. For the surgery itself, it was "look at the blinking lights (15-20 seconds elapses). Ok now don't freak out because you're going to go blind for about 15 seconds." Then I had perfect vision.

So helpful to understand the technique behind LASIK and also the negative effects it could bring, thanks a lot TED for this video.

Watching this after getting my lasik surgery done and suffering myopia for years 15 years with -8.00 grade. 👀 The procedure literally took 10mins only. So happy I am alive in an era where lasik procedure is possible and painless. 20/20 vision is everything! ❤️

" I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead , I lift my eyes and all is born again "

Myopians Here👇 We are always crying inside😭😭

I wont ever forget my experience getting lasik. Doctor points to a sign and asks me to read it. I was already heavily medicated at this point, but I was still able to tell him it was too blurry. A half hour later he finishes my eyes, I get my vision back and then he points to the sign again. I'm tripping balls because it was more clear than what I was able to see with contacts or glasses. Then each day after that, it got even better. I won't forget just spending a whole hour looking up at the stars and realizing how clear they look. Now I can read things that are far away, kind of feels like a super power. It's been almost a decade since I had the surgery, and it's still perfect. Best decision I ever made. 🙏

I had the procedure 9 years ago and it was the best decision! the recovery was very difficult, had to wait 2 months for the full effect but it was well worth it!

Ted ed does great work bringing together great animation, subtle humour, interesting topics and soothing voiceover to make an informative video.

Dude just dumped a thin layer of your eye in liquid nitrogen lol.

I decided not to have it, because I was told that the wound never truly heals, which means if you are getting hit on the head, at a car accident, when play fighting with your kids, when a football, baseball any ball kisses your head a bit too hard, it could mean that the scar rips open. Also I have been told that 20% of the people who had it, experience problems even after 6 month passed. No thank you. Would be open to it again if the tech improved.

I had LASIK back in 2001, it was the greatest thing ever. Truly amazing. Now 20 years later my eyesight is going due to age, but it was awesome for a good 15 years. It made it so nice to swim, golf, etc.

I got lasik at the beginning of this in January and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made.

I don’t like the idea of them cutting open a flap of my eye

MIND BLOWN !! Thank you for this video!!

Beautifully crafted video!

Eye surgery horrifies and intrigues me at the same time. The laser machines thingies are truly accurate. I remember during my corneal transplant how it effortlessly cut out the diseased part of my cornea within seconds -and the precision was on point. I was afraid it will damage my eye if I move during the procedure, but the moment you move the laser stops cutting. Pretty neat.

I have been wearing glasses for the past 12 years of my life and im planning on having a lasik and this helps me very much. I am also trying out contact lenses. I am planning on having the surgery in 2020. Wish me luck❤

I had my surgery in my mid thirties.. my eyes were incredibly dry and sensitive for 3 months or so but i still don’t regret it and would recommend it to anyone

am about to undergo lasik on coming friday..felt little anxious... thanks for relaxing it

I'll get 20/20 vision in 2020

Me: It's time to sleep RU-vid: laser eye surgery! Me: (click)

the animation is done so beautifully

I have always loved your animations.

I love how this looks like an animated textbook.

Ted Ed: you produce 30 gallons of tears in a year. People with chronic dry for whatever reason: *wishes we could*

I actually had the laser blended procedure done back in the early 2010’s and it’s still good, I had no idea it was so cutting edge at the time. And I had it done in Mexico for like 600 total

This is a extraordinary channel, I love Ann the artists, animators, and information checkers who creat these videos.

Can you imagine? "Uhh, I'd rather shoot my eyes out with a laser than wear these glasses any longer!...... wait a minute"

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate that master piece of animation

I had my PRK procedure 5 days ago and am watching this without glasses after wearing them for 35 years! For anyone that is hesitant on getting it done.... I have had dental procedures that are far more painful! Words cannot describe how happy I am with the outcome of my procedure. :)

Lasik is amazing. I had it 8 months ago; I was considered legally blind before. Now my vision is slightly better than 20/20. The suction during surgery (used to stabilize the eye) was frightening for me as I get claustrophobic, but thankfully it was quick. I did have pretty intense healing pain for about 2 hours post-op; it was worse than my c-section. I think the numbing drops wore off too quickly? But after a restless nap and time in a dark room, I was good to go! It’s amazing. Also, eye dryness post-op was increased for me; use preservative free systane drops! And get yourself some decent sunglasses to reduce glare. If anyone is looking into lasik, please go with a reputable surgeon and follow all post-op instructions.

Barraquer : screw 144p, its time to see in 4k "proceeds to carve a man's cornea"

"Did you know you're crying right now?" yes im very aware life is pain

Fantastic sound design on this video!

Did my FEMTO lasik yesterday. It was fun and painless it was like watching old video game. Now got back my vision without barriers 🎉.

4:50 yes my left eye is bad at far sight and the right is good for far sight

This was one of the best videos for explaining how LASIK works, and how near and far sightedness works as well. I had LASIK when I was 32 and I am 48 now. I am just starting to have some trouble seeing far objects, with my left eye being weaker than my right. I started wearing glasses again for driving. I can see up close just fine still and do not need reading glasses (or bifocals), but most people end up needing readers by around age 50-55. For me, there was a really bad burst of pain in the recovery room. One of the drops they give numbs the cornea topically. Then there are the other drops they use as you showed. But one of those intraoperative drops is pretty painful until your body destroys it. Normally the drop that causes pain wears off before the one that numbs the eye, but I metabolized the numbing agent faster and my eyes just started to burn like crazy. So he came in and put more numbing drops in, and then when the second round of numbing wore off, the other drop that caused the pain was also out of my system, and I was good to go. After that, it really only ever felt gritty. Kind of like having your contacts in when you go to the beach and its sandy and windy and sunny and your eyes just feel gritty. That was for about a month, and it responded to taking tylenol or ibuprofen and using eye drops. I also had some halo's around traffic and head lights at night that lasted for 6 months and eventually resolved. I am going to make an appointment sometime in the near future to see if a touch up would help fix the nearsightedness I have developed, but if not, I am fine wearing the glasses to drive. I wont ever wear contacts again. I wore them for 20 years and it actually damaged my corneas a little. I developed blood vessels that grew up into the cornea. If I had kept wearing the contacts those vessels could have eventually creeped their way into the spot over the pupil opening and they would have been visible. So no more contacts for me.

I have learned so much from this channel!

I got smile lasik almost 4 years ago. I'm so thankful to the guy who invented this procedure. Like everyone said it is SO WORTH IT.

*I just have one fear, if the laser radiation intensity increased, then what my "not so good sight" will be changed to "no sight" at all.* 😢

I’m so jealous of people with perfect vision - imagine just waking up and seeing everything, or looking through the telescope and seeing the stars perfectly clear… that’s absolutely mind blowing 🥲

A decade or so ago I was at a computer security (the industry I work in) conference, it just so happened at the same time there was a laser eye surgery conference in town at the same time. around two-thirds of the experts for that conference wore glasses, that told me all I needed to know about the procedure.

This was so informative and clear. Can you make a video for intraocular lens implant as well?

These talks are so inspirational

I had LASIK surgery about 6 months ago. Best decision ever. I can see perfectly without annoying glasses or contacts. I use to hate going to the beach or camping because these activities affected my contacts but not anymore. I'm so happy I never have to wear glasses or contacts again. Also, no more falling down glasses while I walk in the heat. With that said, getting the surgery was the scariest thing I've ever done. You basically sit there while they clamp open your eye, you can't even look away while they slice open your eye and you feel it - there's not "pain" but there is a pressure and the surgent that did mine was rough on one eye which caused a blood vessel to break. I ended up having to redo that eye and that was another layer of stress but all in all, I would do it again because everything healed fine and now I'm free of the chains of glasses and contacts.

I had this procedure done eleven years ago. It took fifteen minutes from waiting the anesthesia in the forms of eye drops to kick in until they finished both eyes and I can see clearly in half an hour. My eyes itched and had tears flowing constantly for a week that I need to put special glasses to stop me from scratching my eyes involuntary. Best decision I ever made. Sadly due to heavy workload in front of monitors daily and as I get older the myopia started to come back slightly a few months ago.

I love the way u show it and explain it

Had Relex SMILE surgery with Dan Reinstein and can’t recommend him enough! He is definitely one of the best in the UK.

If Lasik messes up your eyes, there's no way back or effective treatments. Please carefully research the risks and talk to people who had negative reactions before making the jump to an optional surgery. Ask a doctor not financially connected to a laser clinic

I'm surprised no-one has appreciated his perfect Spanish pronunciation!

Cheers Ted I've got a Lasix surgery at the end of June this really calmed me down

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Dr. Arturo Chayet Burdowsky at CODET vision in Tijuana MX. I have enjoyed 20/20 vision for over 4 years now! Such a blessing.

Omg,i can’t believe i’m seeing this a year after my surgery.I just literally blind trusted my surgeon 🙊

I've watched this video five times and I never grow tire of it. It so accurate and fascinating.

This is great to know. Thank you for this video!

Thank you, Ted-Ed. This video has relieved a lot of my anxiety about having this procedure. 👍