What to avoid after LASIK surgery

LASIK surgery is an extremely safe procedure that gives excellent results and fast recovery time. The procedure itself only takes around 15 minutes, but will depend on how difficult the surgery is, and how severe the eye problem being repaired. Just like any other surgery, there are risks, and downsides to LASIK surgery. Many of these can be avoided if patients follow their doctor’s detailed instructions after surgery.

After LASIK surgery, you will be sent home with protective covering over the eye or eyes that the surgery was performed on. While most cases only require dark sunglasses, some will need you to wear an eye patch just until you get home. Once home, it is best to rest and keep your eyes closed as much as possible for a day. Sleeping more will help you heal much faster. You should avoid watching television or reading for at least a few days after you have had LASIK surgery performed.

Showering is just fine, but you need to keep from getting water or soap directly in the eye. When you dry your face, be sure to not rub the eyes. Do not go swimming, or dip in chlorinated hot tubs and whirlpools, for at least two weeks to help lower your chances of infection.

You can start driving as soon as your doctor gives the okay and you feel up to it. This is usually within a week, but you need to be careful because the sharpness of your vision may fluctuate for several weeks. Most people return to work fairly quickly after LASIK surgery, depending on what they do for a living.

You should also be given a prescription for antibiotics to help prevent any possible eye infections from creeping up. You need to be sure to take these and any other prescription medications religiously, when you are supposed to, until they are all finished. This includes the eye drops given to keep the eye moist while it heals. The procedure can cause eyes to be dry and itch as they heal. The moisture will lessen the itch and the desire to rub your eyes. Rubbing them too soon, or too much, can damage the healing cornea.

Five other things to avoid and remember after LASIK surgery are:

1. Don’t wear eye makeup, lotions, cologne, or aftershave for at least a week.

2. Wear sunglasses when outside.

3. Do not go to dusty or dirty environments for at least a week.

4. Wait at least three days before resuming your normal work out routine.

5. Once you have had the surgery, you should not wear contacts ever again, even for cosmetic purposes (but that is a small price to pay for the freedom that LASIK affords).