How to Take Care of Your Eyes After LASIK Surgery?

How to Take Care of Your Eyes After LASIK Surgery? Are you thinking about Lasik surgery? If so, you’re not alone!

Laser vision correction surgeries in the United States remain popular, with about 843,00 procedures occurring each year. It makes sense. After all, who doesn’t want to ditch their glasses or contacts in favor of 20/20 vision?

One of the keys to a successful Lasik surgery is understanding how to take care of your eyes in the days and weeks following the procedure. Follow these important post-Lasik recovery tips and you’ll be seeing crystal-clear in no time.

What to Expect Immediately After Surgery

One of the most important things you can do to ensure a successful recovery from Lasik eye surgery is to give yourself time and remain patient. If you can, plan to take some time off from work so you can get the rest you need.

Also, remember that some effects, like blurry vision, glares and halos in the field of vision, and a “foggy” feeling in the eyes are completely normal. After the anesthesia wears off, it’s also likely that you’ll experience burning and itching. In almost all cases, these effects will wear off within a day or two.

Although your vision will likely stabilize fairly quickly, remember that the entire healing process takes three to six months. Don’t push yourself and make sure you follow all of your eye doctor’s recommendations.

The First Few Days

One of the most important things to remember in the days immediately following your surgery is to avoid rubbing or bumping your eyes. This will help ensure that the flap doesn’t come dislodged and will lower the chances of getting an eye infection. You’ll want to avoid rubbing your eyes for at least a month, so get used to disciplining yourself right away.

For the first six hours after surgery, you’ll want to keep your eyes closed and avoid exposure to bright light. After that, it’s best to avoid activities that can cause eye strain for at least 24 hours. This includes:

Reading
Watching television
Using your smartphone or tablet
Playing video games
Working on a computer

You’ll also want to wait at least 24 hours for taking a shower and wash your hair. After the first 24 hours, you’ll still want to take care not to get anything in your eyes, like water, soap, shampoo, shaving cream, or hairspray. You can smoke if you feel the need, but be aware that this may irritate your eyes and cause unnecessary discomfort.

Your surgeon may give you a protective eye shield to wear while you’re sleeping. This will help to keep you from unintentionally rubbing or bumping your eyes. Make sure you use it!

You may also receive prescription medication for the pain and eye drops that will help keep your eyes lubricated and keep infection at bay.

You can usually start driving again as soon as your vision clears up enough to make it safe. It’s a good idea, however, to check with the doctor before you start.

1-2 Weeks Post-Lasik

Your surgeon will usually tell you it’s okay to start exercising within a week after your surgery, as long as you avoid contact sports. When you leave the house, you’ll want to wear high-quality sunglasses to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) light.

Eye drops will also help minimize dry-eye discomfort. Dry-eye can be severe and may last for several months. If it’s really bothering you, take the time to find out more about how to prevent dry-eye after your surgery.

Avoid using creams and makeup around the eyes for at least a week and don’t swim or spend time in a hot tub for at least two weeks after your surgery. You may also want to limit your screen time for the first week or so.

1 Month After Surgery

A month into your recovery process, you can usually resume playing sports. However, you might want to consider wearing protective goggles until the doctor says it’s safe to stop doing so.

3-6 Months Post-Lasik

During the final months of your post-Lasik recovery, you’ll continue to heal and your vision may progressively improve. Bright sunlight can cause scarring, so make sure you continue to wear sunglasses every time you go outside for at least a year after your surgery.

Attend All Follow-Up Appointments

It’s critical that you attend all of the recommended follow-up appointments. This will help to ensure that you’re healing as expected and will give your eye doctor the opportunity to intervene quickly if a problem arises.

Make sure you continue to follow the doctor’s instructions and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns during the healing period.

After you’re fully healed, you’ll still need annual eye exams to ensure that your eyes remain healthy.

When to Call Your Doctor

Although post-Lasik recovery problems aren’t common, they can occur. If you experience significant pain, redness, or discharge from your eye, or a sudden decrease in vision, then it’s a good idea to call your doctor and head in for an exam.

Keep Yourself Healthy and Well!

Now that you understand the most important post-Lasik recovery tips, you’re ready to go into your surgery with confidence. Want even more great healthcare tips? Take some time to browse through a few more of our interesting and informative articles.

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