Dr. Ferzaad Moosa, a LASIK Orange County eye surgeon explains to us that LASIK eye surgery can help you deal with various visual issues, such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, and other conditions. For the most part, patients who do not have any serious eye or health issues are eligible for LASIK eye surgery. Nonetheless, you should always check with your LASIK eye surgeon before booking your LASIK procedure.
Once you find out you are a good candidate for laser eye surgery, there are things you have to do and stop doing. So, before you start to make plans for the life you’re going to have after your LASIK vision correction surgery, you have to take a look at this way to prepare before your procedure.
Drink a Lot of Water Before the Procedure
Prior to any procedure, you should drink more water unless you were told otherwise by your physician. However, with LASIK you are doing good when you increase your water intake. Boosting your water intake will help you keep hydrated and encourage the healing process after your procedure.
A typical side effect of LASIK eye surgery is temporary dry eye. Therefore, drinking more water is an easy way to help keep your eyes lubricated. If you have already booked your LASIK procedure, it’s time to start getting hydrated. Set your sights on at least 8 eight-ounce glasses per day. It sounds like a lot but that is the ideal minimum amount you should be drinking to keep hydrated.
Stop Wearing Contact Lenses
Before you have your LASIK procedure, your eye surgeon will instruct you to stop wearing contact lenses for at least a week for soft contacts and one month for hard contacts. The reason being is that wearing contacts can change the shape of your cornea and influence the results of your LASIK procedure.
It’s imperative that you give your eyes a break and switch over to eyeglasses for a while before your procedure.
Your eye doctor will be the person to let you know when to stop wearing contact lenses. It will be based on an evaluation of your eyes, and from there he or she will let you know exactly how long before your eye laser procedure to stop contact lens use.
Get a Comfortable Outfit Ready in Advance
It’s important to decide in advance what you wear to the LASIK procedure. Keep in mind that you will be awake during the surgery, so it’s important to feel comfortable in the clothes you’re in. Go with loose clothes that you can easily remove once you get back home.
For instance, this could be athletic shorts, leggings, a zipper hoodie, or a soft t-shirt. After a LASIK procedure, the first thing you will do when you get home is sleep. It’s a lot easier to get to bed if you’re wearing clothes that you can rest in or that you can easily change out of.
Furthermore, try not to wear clothes that produce lint. So, avoid faux fur or wearing any type of clothing that may be shed. This is important since it helps to keep contaminants away from the operating suite. LASIK is a safe and sterile procedure, but it’s a good idea to make that additional effort to avoid lint when you can as well.
Get a Person to Be Your Designated Driver
When you are doing a LASIK procedure, you are not put to sleep. Instead, your eye surgeon will put numbing drops in your eyes. If you are feeling nervous about the procedure, you may be given medication to help you relax.
The numbing drops ensure you never feel any pain when you’re undergoing LASIK. Eventually, these drops wear off after a few hours once the procedure is completed.
Even though no anesthesia is involved in a LASIK procedure, you are not supposed to drive home yourself afterward. Get a friend or a family member that can drive you to your procedure and then drive you back home.
Many LASIK patients can drive during their follow-up appointment the next day. When you get confirmation from your eye doctor, you can return behind the wheel.
Go Through Your Paperwork
Your eye clinic will hand over a LASIK consent form before your procedure. Once you have read through your paperwork, the team will help you answer any further questions you may have regarding the LASIK procedure.
It’s important that patients make an informed decision about the procedure. Therefore, your questions can be about LASIK safety, financing, aftercare, or anything else. Your eye doctor should be happy to discuss them with you!
Don’t Wear Makeup, Perfume, or Lotions
When the day of your LASIK procedure arrives, don’t wear any makeup, perfumes, or lotions. You should take a shower and make sure your face is squeaky clean with absolutely no contaminates the morning of the big day! Don’t forget to skip on any perfumes as well.
Also, don’t put on any hand or face lotions, since this can make your skin oily. You will want to enter your LASIK procedure clean and prepared, and wearing greasy lotions can get into your eyes. Having a successful LASIK procedure is also about being safe.
After your LASIK eye surgery, you will need a day to rest before getting back to your regular activities. Then, you’ll be over the moon to wake up the next day following your procedure with sharp, clear vision.
There is only one factor you will regret about LASIK and that is you will wish you had gotten the procedure done sooner. So, get ready for a life free from eyeglasses and contacts.
Do you live in the Los Angeles or Orange County areas? Contact the professional and dedicated team at Excel Laser Vision Institute as soon as possible to book your free LASIK consultation today!