Are you getting excited about your LASIK eye surgery? Have you been thinking about all the different things you need to do to prepare?
Making sure to take the time to prepare will calm you down before undergoing LASIK. Don’t forget that a well-informed patient is a happy one as well!
Our team understands that your vision is important. That’s why it is normal to be nervous and restless before surgery.
The success rate for LASIK is 96%! Keep reading for a few ways to prepare before LASIK!
One Month Before Surgery
When you start to prepare for LASIK, it is important to follow all the steps your doctor gives you.
Stop Wearing Gas Permeable Contact Lenses
In the month before LASIK, stop using any gas permeable lenses. Doesn’t sound familiar? You probably don’t wear them!
Gas permeable lenses are a kind of contact lens. Wearing gas permeable contact lenses can create significant changes in the cornea.
Stop Wearing Soft Contact Lenses 2 Weeks Before LASIK
If you wear soft contact lenses, you need to stop wearing them 2 weeks before LASIK. Soft contact lenses can cause the shape of your cornea to change, at least temporarily.
You need to have stable vision and stable corneas before undergoing LASIK.
Request A Day Or Two Off After LASIK In Advance
If you can, one of the best days to have LASIK is on a Friday. This gives you the whole weekend to start the recovery process!
If you can’t, make sure you request a day or two off for the day after LASIK. Be smart and do this in advance!
Beginning the recovery process after LASIK involves a lot of resting and relaxation. You shouldn’t plan to take off more than a day or two since the initial recovery process after LASIK isn’t too bad at all.
The Day Before LASIK
Find Yourself A Ride To And From LASIK
Although you can drive yourself to your procedure, it makes more sense to get a ride to drive you there and back. After LASIK, you are not allowed to drive yourself home.
Let your ride know that they will need to be with you for several hours. After LASIK, the numbing eye drops take several hours to wear off.
This is why you cannot drive right after LASIK. Most patients can drive in the next day or two after being cleared.
Don’t Wear Makeup, Perfumes, Creams, or Lotions
We get it: you want to look good! But on the day before your LASIK procedure, it’s not necessary. In fact, it could hurt you.
This is because makeup or lotions can contain particles. Before LASIK, you need to have clean eyes.
Your LASIK surgeon may even ask you to clean your eyes before the procedure. This helps reduce any chance of infection.
The Morning of LASIK
Stay Relaxed
Any kind of surgery can be kind of scary. But it’s important that you stay relaxed before getting LASIK.
If you know you’ll be anxious, ask your LASIK surgeon for anxiety medication. This is usually something like Valium to help calm you down.
Eat Something Before LASIK
If you’re nervous, the last thing you want to do is eat. Unlike many other procedures, you can eat before LASIK since you aren’t put under. It’s better to at least try to eat something small so you have something in your stomach.
Dress Comfortably
Your LASIK procedure is not the time to dress up. Instead, stick to wearing leggings, sweatpants, and other comfortable clothes.
Do your best to avoid wearing any clothes that shed like faux fur, since these could get in your eyes. Dressing comfortably comes in handy when you get home after LASIK as well.
It’s a lot easier to crawl into bed and rest when you’re already wearing comfy clothes!
Have more questions about what to expect when you undergo LASIK? Schedule an appointment at Loden Vision Centers in Nashville, TN now!
