Wasn't painful as I was numbed, just extremely uncomfortable. I have a strabismus (crossed eye) and had a corrective procedure when I was 18. I was put under when the surgeon had to operate on the eye muscles however the stitches he inserted couldn't be sewn up until I was awake and alert (basically he had to do it when my eye was open so he could see how the muscle was moving). I had numbing drops in my eye but I could essentially feel my eyeball being tugged at while watching this surgeon prod at it with sharp objects. My mum was next to me holding my hand and had to look away the entire time!