Have you booked your LASIK eye surgery? Are you trying to prepare for how you’ll recover after LASIK? Making the decision to get LASIK is a big deal.
In fact, it will change your life forever. One of the most important parts of having LASIK is the recovery process. Following all the steps your doctor gives you helps make sure your eyes heal as they should. Keep reading for some do’s and don’ts to remember after having LASIK!
Do’s
There are so many things you need to do after getting LASIK to make sure you recover safely.
Rest:
While you may feel fine after LASIK, it is best to go home and rest for a few hours. Keeping your eyes closed protects them from things like warm or cold air, which can dry your eyes out.
Attend Your Post-LASIK Appointment:
Going to your follow-up appointment with your surgeon is important. They will check on your eyes to see how they are recovering. During this visit, your doctor will also tell you when you can start driving. Most patients get approval to start driving the day after having LASIK.
Use Eye Drops:
During your LASIK recovery, eye drops help immensely. Most doctors tell their patients to use them every hour on the hour to keep eyes lubricated. Also, keeping your eye drops in the fridge gives your eyes a nice soothing sensation when putting them in.
Wear Sunglasses:
After getting LASIK, your eyes will be more sensitive to light. If you know you will be outdoors, wear a pair of sunglasses. Your sunglasses should protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays. You should wear sunglasses throughout the year to keep your eyes healthy. Even if you can’t see the sun or it looks cloudy, you should still be wearing sunglasses.
Don’ts
While you are recovering after LASIK, there are things you want to do. But for the best recovery possible, you shouldn’t do these things, at least for a little while after LASIK. These include:
Rubbing Your Eyes:
After LASIK, your eyes may feel itchy, dry, or irritated. It can be very tempting to rub your eyes and make them feel better. Whatever you do, don’t rub your eyes after having LASIK!
Rubbing your eyes after having LASIK can cause complications. Most likely, it will cause the flap created during the procedure to get damaged. This can cause vision loss or other severe problems. If your eyes feel itchy, put in eye drops or artificial tears instead of rubbing them.
Make-up:
For the first week after you’ve had LASIK, avoid wearing any makeup. This means anything that you put on your eyes: eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, or primer.
Makeup is a breeding ground for bacteria. When you are able to wear makeup again, throw out your old makeup and buy new makeup. Old makeup can harbor bacteria you can’t see and cause infections in your sensitive eyes.
Avoid Getting Water in Your Eyes:
You can shower after LASIK, of course, but you need to do so very carefully. Water is another breeding ground for bacteria. When showering or washing your hair, keep your eyes closed.
The last thing you want to do is get any water directly in your eyes while they are healing. You also shouldn’t swim in any bodies of water for at least a month after LASIK. This means no pools, no lakes, no ponds, no oceans, and no hot tubs. Your doctor will let you know when you are cleared to go back in water safely again.
Exercise:
Avoid strenuous activities like exercising for at least a week after LASIK. This includes any kind of contact sports where you could get hit in the face, head, or eyes. You need to avoid any kind of activity that will need you to bend over at the waist as well. This can cause too much intraocular pressure. Avoid these activities until your doctor says you can take part in them again.
Are you ready to get LASIK? Figuring out if you are a good candidate is the first step in the process. Schedule a LASIK consultation at Metro Eye Care in Paramus, NJ now!
