We asked a laser eye surgery Seattle expert about what to expect post LASIK surgery. There are certain things you should expect in the aftermath and certain precautions you should take to ensure your eye heals properly.
Immediately after LASIK surgery, you may feel an itch or burning sensation on your eye, as if there were something in it that is irritating it. This may cause some discomfort and pain but is perfectly normal. The doctor may prescribe some pain-relieving medication.
You might have a bit of blurry vision and may want to rub your eye by instinct. You should not rub your eyes under any circumstances. Rubbing your eye could have drastic consequences as it may dislodge the flap that was removed and replaced during the procedure.
You may also experience some sensitivity to bright lights, a side effect known as photophobia. You may also see starbursts and halos, especially around bright objects. The white of your eye may also look a little red, or even bloodshot. These are all normal symptoms and things should get better in a matter of days or weeks. In some rare cases, some of these symptoms may last for months but are usually gone within 6 months. It is usually a good idea to take some days off before you get back to work in order to give the symptoms time to subside.
In case you experience intense pain, or if the symptoms or your vision get worse, you should contact your ophthalmologist immediately and not wait for the scheduled visit. The situation may need immediate attention.
When to See Your Doctor
Generally, you should see the doctor no more than 48 hours after the procedure. After that first visit, your visits can be a little more stretched out but should nonetheless be regular for the next 6 months. During the first visit, the doctor will remove the shield placed over your eye to protect it and examine your eye. They may also test your vision. They may give you some eye drops to combat eye dryness and also to prevent inflammation and infection.
There are some general precautions you should take after the surgery to ensure maximum safety of the healing eye:
- Do not wash your hair or take a shower less than 24 hours after the procedure.
- Avoid getting any water that isn’t sterile into your eye. That includes water from washing your hair, showering, and so one. This should be maintained for the first few days after the procedure.
- Keep soap, hair spray, and lotion out of your eye. You should, therefore, be careful when you’re showering or washing your hair.
- Avoid rubbing your eye under any circumstances for at least a month after the procedure.
- Avoid driving until you are cleared to do so by the doctor.
- Keep the goggles or eye shield provided by your doctor on when you go to sleep for at least a week after the procedure.
- No swimming or partaking in water sports or going to the sauna for at least 3 weeks after the procedure.
- Do not wear makeup on your eye for at least a week after the procedure. If you have any partly used eye makeup, get rid of them and buy new ones to avoid an infection.
- You may experience sensitivity to light for some time. Wear dark sunglasses when going outside until the sensitivity disappears.
- Avoid dusty or dirty environments for at least a week after the procedure.
To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.
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