LASIK surgery can improve your eyesight considerably and may enable you to stop wearing glasses or contact lenses. The procedure is typically painless and very quick -- just 15 or 20 minutes. Though LASIK isn't an inpatient procedure or one requiring a lot of downtime during recovery, there are things you should do to care for your eyes properly and minimize your risk of complications after surgery.
Use Your Medications
You aren't likely to need a lot of medication during your LASIK recovery. The topical anesthesia administered before your surgery will wear off, however, and you might experience some burning or itching. Take any pain medications your surgeon prescribed or recommended as directed for the first day.
One of the most common temporary side effects in the first few days following LASIK surgery is dryness, so use the lubricating eye drops provided by your surgeon regularly as directed to keep your eyes moist and promote good healing.
Protecting Your Eyes
Though your eyes will most likely heal very quickly after having LASIK surgery (most people are able to return to work and drive by the next day), you'll still need to protect them very carefully for at least the first 24 hours. Make sure to wear sunglasses with UV protection if you'll be outside, even if it's not a particularly sunny day.
Wear the eye shields provided by your surgeon if you lie down to rest and before you go to bed to prevent yourself from rubbing or pressing on your healing eyes. It's very important not to touch your eyes for at least a week post surgery to prevent irritating the healing tissue. Don't do anything that strains your eyes for at least 2 to 4 hours after returning home, so no reading or watching television. It's best to just take a nap with your eye shields in place right after you get home.
Minimize Your Infection Risk
Your eyes will be more prone to infection until they've had a chance to heal fully, so it's important to avoid getting anything that could be prone to bacteria in them. This means no eye makeup or skincare products, including eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow and eye creams, for at least a week after your surgery. You'll also want to avoid getting soap or shampoo in your eyes when you shower, which you should be able to do safely the day after your procedure. Don't expose your eyes to any water that could be treated with chemicals or contaminated for a minimum of a week. This includes swimming pools, hot tubs and natural bodies of water, like lakes or the ocean.
Talk to your surgeon about any questions or concerns you have about your procedure and recovery before your surgery date and make sure to notify your surgeon about any recovery-related complications you experience.
Contact a business like Eye Center The for more information.
Share15 November 2017
When a friend of mine started experiencing cloudy vision, they decided to put off a trip to their optometrist's office. Unfortunately, three months later, they found themselves completely blind in one eye—a condition that ended up being permanent. It turned out that they had an undiagnosed eye infection that destroyed their vision. After hearing about that problem, we realized that it might be smart to visit our eye doctor early—before permanent problems set in. Check out this blog for reasons not to skip out on early vision appointments, so that you can protect your family's vision and keep everyone happy and healthy.
