Earlier quoted context omitted.
Lasers are not fun. Especially when they're not aiming at the cornea/etc flap and instead are intentionally burning your torn retina flap to "photocoagulate"/glue it back on to the back of they eyeball with the rest of the retina. It hurts quite a bit (like getting punched in the eyeball 300 times) and you have to remain perfectly still with your eye always looking at the the same exact spot for 20 minutes minutes wh…
Don't they typically do local anesthetic for eye surgeries? I know at least some offices do for IOL placement.
The local anesthetic is topical and for the surface of the eye itself. It definitely helps. The pain comes from the burning of the back of the eyeball/retina and the nerves there.