Before, During, And After Surgery

What you should expect before, during, and after LASIK surgery

This section is a compilation of patient information developed by manufacturers and healthcare professionals, but it cannot replace the dialogue you should have with a doctor. Read this information carefully and discuss your expectations with us.

You will need an initial or baseline evaluation by us to determine if you are a good candidate. This is what you need to know to prepare for the exam and what you should expect:

BEFORE SURGERY

If you wear contact lenses, it is a good idea to stop wearing them before your baseline evaluation and switch to wearing your glasses full-time.

Soft contact lenses: you should stop wearing them for 2 weeks before your initial evaluation.
Toric soft lenses or rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses: you should stop wearing them for at least 3 weeks before your initial evaluation.
Hard lenses: you should stop wearing them for at least 4 weeks before your initial evaluation.

We will ask you about:

your past and present medical and eye conditions
medications you are taking, including over-the-counter medications and any medications you may be allergic to

We will perform a thorough eye exam and discuss:

whether you are a good candidate
what the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the surgery are
what you should expect before, during, and after surgery
what your responsibilities will be before, during, and after surgery

The day before surgery, you should stop using:

creams
lotions
makeup
perfumes

These products as well as debris along the eyelashes may increase the risk of infection during and after surgery. On the day of surgery, you may be given medicine to help you relax. Because this medicine impairs your ability to drive and because your vision may be blurry, make sure someone can bring you home after surgery.

Day of Surgery

While the actual surgery will take less than 10 minutes, you will be at the office for about two hours. Please do not have anything to eat or drink (except water) the morning of your surgery. After filling out some forms and watching a brief video on LASIK you will have some numbing drops put in your eyes and be given a light dose of valium to help you relax and to help you take a nap after you get home.

Once in the operating room you will be prepped for surgery by the nurse. One eye is patched closed and the other is gently held open by a lid speculum. The doctor then makes the very thin flap and gently folds it back out of the way of the laser. The doctor will then tell you to look at the light (which is the aiming beam for the laser) and he will activate the laser which gently and very accurately changes the shape of your eye. He will then gently rinse and smooth the flap back into position on your eye. The other eye is then done the same way.

After your LASIK is done we bring you out and look at your eyes with a slit-lamp biomicroscope to make sure everything looks perfect. Your eyes may be light-sensitive and things may seem watery looking right after surgery because you still have some fluid under your flap. This slowly absorbs while you take your nap after you get home. When you wake up from your nap you should rest and just watch TV the remainder of the day. The next day you may resume work and normal activities with the exception of heavy lifting for one week and no swimming or eye make-up for two weeks.

After Surgery

At your one day post-op visit we will check your vision, examine your flap, and review your medications and post-op instructions. All patients experience some dryness and slightly fluctuating vision the first week or so after surgery. Using your drops as instructed is very important; always call us if you have any questions. Each time you check out after an office visit we will schedule your next follow-up visit to ensure you stay on schedule. ENJOY YOUR NEW VISION!!!