The dos and don’ts for Lasik surgery (after surgery)

LASIK surgery, known as laser eye surgery or laser vision correction, is a refractive surgery done to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism (everything appears blurry).

This surgery can eliminate troubles with vision and success rates increase when you find the best eye specialist in Johannesburg that will conduct thorough eye tests before the surgery.  

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts that will help you tackle all the issues that are normal after Lasik surgery:  

Do use medication and eye drops as prescribed.

If your eye surgeon has prescribed certain medication and eye drops, take them and not discontinue them unless directed by your surgeon. After surgery, you are most likely to be given two prescribed eye drops – one will be an antibiotic drop to prevent infections, and the other is a mild steroid drop to prevent inflammation after surgery. Use the first one 4 times on the day of surgery and the latter every hour while awake for the rest of the day.  

Do take time to rest your eyes.  

It is important that after any surgery, you rest. Take time to rest your eyes straight after the surgery, keep them closed and protected and make sure you rest in a dark room so that your eyes may heal faster.  

Do wear sunglasses when stepping outside.

When stepping outside for any reason, wear UV protection sunglasses (preferably dark sunglasses). After surgery, your eyes will be extremely sensitive to sunlight, bright lights and any other pollution in the outside air.  

Do sleep with an eye shield.

You are most likely to be given 5 eye shields to wear for a week after your surgery. You must sleep with these eye shields as your eyes have just undergone surgery and are still fragile.  

Do clean your eyes twice a day.  

It is vital to clean your eyes twice a day to avoid infections. Once a day, you can use the prescribed eye drops from your eye surgeon, or you can purchase artificial tears or preservative-free eye drops. These will rinse out your eyes and leave them less irritated.  

Don’t use electronic devices.  

This might be the most challenging part of post LASIK surgery. Electronic devices can negatively affect your eyes after surgery and can slow down the healing process. After surgery, your eyes will be fragile, and the light emanating from electronic devices can strain your eyes.  

Don’t take a shower.

We all love a good shower after a long day at the doctor; however, after LASIK surgery, take a bath instead. In the shower, water and steam can get into your eyes. Also avoid steam rooms, saunas and swimming pools.  

Don’t play sports or exercise.  

This is the one time you get to skip hitting the gym. You should avoid any strenuous exercise or sports as sweat could get into your eyes. Exercising and sports can also put pressure on your eyes.  

Don’t wear eye makeup  

Eye makeup should be avoided for a week or so after surgery as it could infect your eyes.  

Don’t go out into dusty environments.  

It is important that you avoid stepping outdoors for a while after surgery. If you must go outside, avoid dusty environments. Dust can get into your eyes and infect them, therefore, slowing down the healing process and can be harmful to the eyes. Ask your eye doctor any other questions or concerns you may have leading up to your surgery. Before you know it, you’ll be back to your regular routine with better vision.