If you’re considering laser eye surgery in order to eliminate your glasses and contact lenses, the prospect of actually undergoing the process may make you feel both eager and apprehensive. For many of us, knowing what to expect is quite beneficial. After all, surprises are wonderful for birthdays and anniversaries, but not so much for our eyes. As such, this post will focus on providing you with valuable information on what to anticipate on your big day, as well as some helpful advice for ensuring a smooth and uncomplicated treatment and recovery.
Before you go for laser eye surgery
Your first step toward laser eye surgery is to contact our Institute and chat with one of our knowledgeable counselors who will gladly answer any and all of your questions over the phone. Our counselors have undergone specialized training in order to assist you effectively over the phone without requiring you to come in and meet with a doctor to get all of your basic concerns answered. For more information checkout personaleyes.com.au before going for a laser eye surgery.
Friday’s account for the great majority of procedure days at our Institute. This is because many patients have expressed how convenient it is to have laser eye surgery on the first day of a three-day weekend.
Plan on eating regularly and taking your usual medications as directed by your regular physician on the day of your surgery. We will request that you arrange for someone to transport you home after your operation, and it is recommended that you dress comfortably so that you may recover afterwards.
You will be given a light sedative to assist you in relaxing before to your surgery. It’s typically a fantastic idea for patients because the pill allows them to unwind a little and allows them to sleep well thereafter. Frequently, patients say that their post-laser eye surgery slumber was the finest they’ve ever had!
LASIK Surgery
At our facility, the LASIK operation takes around ten minutes for both eyes. The majority of patients have three basic concerns with laser eye surgery:
- What if I blink?
- What if I shift my gaze?
- Is it going to be painful?
What happens if I blink?
The answer to this query is straightforward: you are not permitted to blink during your operation. The physicians will use a soft lid holder to prevent you from blinking, so there is no need for you to be concerned about that!
What if I shift my gaze?
This is an excellent question. Our Institute’s laser eye surgery physicians have opted to perform the procedure using a treatment laser equipped with a computerized, ultra-fast eye monitoring system that runs at a pace of 500 times per second. The treatment (excimer) laser that our Institute’s specialists employ has the quickest eye tracker available in the United States, so you don’t have to worry about your laser eye surgery process being harmed by body movements.
Is it going to be painful?
While the treatment is painful, the great majority of patients do not use the term “pain” to describe their laser eye surgery experience. The eyes are numbed with eye drops (there are no needles in our procedure room), and the only sensation patients feel during the procedure is pressure on the eye for approximately 30-45 seconds.
After LASIK surgery
When the treatment is complete and you open your eyes, you will immediately notice that your vision is much different than it was prior to wearing glasses or contact lenses. The majority of patients describe their experience as being akin to opening their eyes underwater or wearing cloudy glasses, and while everything is not instantly clear, they are astounded at what they can see. Many patients, particularly those who wore heavier glasses prior to laser eye surgery, weep tears of pleasure at the prospect of recognizing a loved one across the room rather than seeing shapes and lights as they did only ten minutes earlier!
After one of our Institute’s laser eye surgery Specialists checks your eyes one final time to ensure you’re ready to go, it’s time to travel home for a sleep. The sooner you return home to begin your siesta, the better, since the most difficult portion of post-laser eye surgery recuperation occurs between the 2-3 hours after the numbing drops wear off. The medication that you will be given before to your operation is really effective in assisting you in falling asleep.
When you awaken after a slumber, your vision is usually significantly enhanced, and your eyes are already very comfortable. For the first few days, it is fairly usual for patients to experience feelings similar to an eyelash in the eye. Your closest buddy after laser eye surgery will be preservative-free artificial tears, as injecting one of those drops significantly alleviates uncomfortable feelings.
Because artificial tears cannot be overused and they aid in healing and comfort, the best course of action is to use them as frequently as our Institute’s specialists prescribe. Many patients find it beneficial to keep some fake tears refrigerated as well. Simply having some cooling drops is really calming and welcomed in the days immediately after laser eye surgery.
Three things will be requested of you after laser eye surgery to aid with your recovery, and three things will be requested of you throughout your healing period as well.
Avoid the Following Three Things Following LASIK:
- For at least a week after your laser eye surgery treatment, we will ask you to avoid hot baths and pools (rivers, lakes, and seas). Showering, of course, is acceptable – see #2.
- We will ask you to refrain from touching your eyes for two weeks after your operation. Allow the water to run over your eyelids when showering and avoid getting a direct spray of shower water in your eyes. Allow the area around your eyes to air dry rather than toweling it dry.
- Finally, we will request that you refrain from wearing eye makeup for at least 36 hours after laser eye surgery. When you reintroduce eye makeup, remove it using downward strokes on your upper lid and DO NOT rub side-to-side.
Final thoughts
If you’ve been looking to determine the preemptive steps to take before going for laser eye surgery, this article will steer you in the right direction.