Posted by: Manhattan LASIK Center
LASIK is one of the most popular and successful laser vision correction techniques in the world. However, just like any other surgery, the effectiveness of the procedure relies heavily on what you do to take care of your eyes after it is complete.
To make sure that your LASIK laser vision surgery is successful and to support you while your eyes heal, here’s our list of things that you should do and things you should avoid after LASIK.
Things To Do After LASIK
Knowing what to do after LASIK can make a huge difference to the success and outcome of your laser vision correction.
Get Plenty Of Rest
When you first go home, you’ll be advised to try and take a nap if you can. This will give your eyes time to rest and kickstart the healing process.
Use The Eyedrops Provided
You’ll be given prescription eye drops to use after your LASIK procedure. These will help to reduce inflammation and prevent infection. You’ll be given artificial eyedrops too, which will minimize dry eyes and keep them feeling comfortable.
Wear Sunglasses When Going Outside
This will help to prevent scarring that can be caused by exposure to bright sunlight and any discomfort that can occur.
Use The Protective Eye Shields
Your eye doctor will give you protective eye shields to wear when you sleep. These will prevent you from subconsciously or unconsciously touching your eyes and irritating them or transferring dirt and debris into them. You should wear these for at least a week following your procedure.
Follow The Instructions Of Your Surgeon
The single most important thing that you can do is to heed the advice of your LASIK surgeon. They are just as invested in ensuring that you have a good outcome from your procedure as you are, and the advice that they will give you will help minimize your risk of complications and help your eyes heal correctly.
Things To Avoid After LASIK
It’s just as important to know what you shouldn’t do after LASIK laser vision correction as it is to know how to take care of your eyes. Here are some of the key things that you should avoid after your LASIK procedure.
Rubbing Your Eyes
Unsurprisingly, you’ll be told to avoid touching your eyes whatsoever, but especially refrain from rubbing them. It’s normal for eyes to feel sore and irritated following LASIK, and your immediate reaction may be to touch your eyes to try and make them feel better. However, rubbing your eyes could dislodge the flap that was created to perform the procedure before it heals, and this could lead to complications occurring such as scarring and infection. If you get something in your eye in the days following surgery, you should use artificial tears to flush the debris from it.
Getting Water In Your Eyes
Any sources of water that aren’t perfectly sterile could pose an infection risk. As such, your LASIK surgeon will recommend that you avoid using hot tubs or swimming pools for at least several weeks while your eyes heal. You will be able to shower as soon as the day after your surgery, as long as you keep soap and other chemicals out of your eyes.
Keep Away From Dust, Pollen, And Other Irritants
These will only make your eyes feel more uncomfortable, and in some cases, they could cause allergies that create unpleasant symptoms while your eyes heal. If you need to go anywhere where there is a risk of irritants getting into your eyes, use goggles or other protective eyewear.
Refrain From Wearing Eye Makeup
Your LASIK surgeon will recommend that you avoid wearing eye makeup for at least a week following surgery. This helps to ensure that there is minimal risk to your eyes, enabling them to heal effectively.
Minimize Your Screen Time
We naturally blink less when we use digital devices, and this can cause the surface of our eyes to be much drier. Dry eyes are a normal temporary side effect of LASIK anyway, and these can be very uncomfortable. Minimizing your screen time in the days following LASIK will help to counteract this.
For more advice on what you should or shouldn’t do after LASIK, please don’t hesitate to speak to our expert LASIK specialists at Manhattan LASIK Center in Edison, NJ by calling (212) 759-9617 today.
