subject: What To Expect Before, The Day Of, And After Lasik Eye Surgery [print this page] Preparing yourself for your LASIK eye surgery allows you to be more ready when it comes to handling the operating room and dealing with the aftereffects once the LASIK surgery is finished.
Before the LASIK surgery, if you have contact lenses, you should avoid wearing them for several weeks. This is because the lens actually changes the shape of your cornea for a time, and your eyes need to be in their natural state when the refractive surgery occurs. Measurements must be precise in order for the surgery to work properly. Hard lenses should be removed at least four weeks prior to surgery and soft contacts should be kept out for at least two weeks.
Obtaining your baseline evaluation will happen with your eye doctor, in which he will need to know your past and current health condition, including any illnesses you might have, your past and present eye condition, and any medications you might be taking. Your eye doctor will thoroughly go through the LASIK eye surgery procedures with you so you have a firmer idea of what to expect during and after the surgery. The day before the actual surgery, you should avoid using any creams, lotions, makeup, or perfumes, and scrub your eyelashes to clear them of any unwanted debris.
Make sure you have someone who can drive you home after the refractive surgery. While your eyes will function, vision can be blurry and your doctor may give you some medication to help you relax.
During LASIK eye surgery, doctors will use medical instruments to help keep your eye open and in place. They will apply a numbing solution to your eye as well. At most, you will feel some pressure and occasional discomfort during the LASIK surgery. The doctor will use a special blade called a microkeratome to cut a flap in the cornea, and then use a laser keratome to reshape the cornea by vaporizing very specific amounts of tissue. You may hear sounds as the laser works and be aware of new smells as well. This is normal.
Once your refractive surgery is finished, you will need to wear eye guards to keep debris out of your eyes and keep them pressure-free when you sleep. You may feel as though your eye itches or burns a little and you may want to rub it, but avoid doing so. Go home and wait for your eyes to heal. It can take time for them to adjust and be sure to follow any extra instructions your eye doctor gives you.
