DAY OF SURGERY
LASIK and PRK are outpatient procedures, which means you’ll spend around an hour at the surgeon’s office and walk out afterward. Someone else must drive you home, because your vision will be a little blurry right after surgery.
IN OPERATING ROOM
You’ll lie down in a reclining chair. The surgeon will place anesthetic drops in your eye, position your head under the laser and place an eyelid speculum (retainer) under your lids to hold your eye wide open.
In LASIK, the surgeon creates a thin flap in the top of the cornea, folds it back out of the way, uses the laser to remove some corneal tissue and then puts the flap back in place. If you’re having PRK, no flap is created: The laser simply removes the outer layer of the cornea (epithelium), which grows back after surgery.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The surgeon will place eye drops or ointment in your eye. You may relax for a little while then go home and rest. You’ll probably notice clearer vision immediately, and typically it will improve even more as the weeks go by.
AFTER SURGERY
For the first week you need to avoid getting water in the eyes. You may shower, but keep your eyes closed when washing hair and rinse so that the water runs towards the back of your head. Also, try to aim the flow of water lower than your eyes. Gently pat-wash with a clean cloth around the eyes.
No eye make-up or mascara should be worn for 1 week.
After 1 week, you may wear make-up that is easily removed with soap and water.
No motorcycling, boating, horseback riding, swimming, or tanning bed for 2 weeks post surgery. It is important to avoid getting dust or dirt in the eyes. This will irritate the eye as well as increase your risk of infection. If dust does get in your eye, use preservative-free artificial tears to flush the debris out of the eye. Wear safety glasses or sports goggles when participating in contact sports or doing work during which foreign matter may get into your eyes.
No sauna, swimming pool, martial arts and alcohol for 1 month.
