Are you ready to get the clear vision of your dreams with the help of a LASIK procedure? If so, congratulations! You’re one step closer to finally being able to kiss those pesky glasses and contacts goodbye. However, correctly preparing for your procedure is just as important as the surgery itself. Don’t know where to start? Here’s a brief overview of a couple of things you can do prior to your appointment to help improve your experience during and after the surgery!
How to best prepare for the surgery
Dress comfortably
Even something as simple as wearing comfortable clothes during your LASIK surgery in clinics like those in Orange County can do wonders for your overall experience. This is a good idea for two reasons. First, since you’ll be awake during the procedure, wearing loose-fitting and soft clothes can help make it a little easier to relax while the surgeon does their job. Secondly, when you get home, you’ll most likely just want to rest and already being in comfy clothes takes away the extra step of needing to change.
Stay hydrated
Getting in enough water is crucial! As many know, one of the possible side effects of LASIK is dry eyes. Because of this, keeping the eyes moisturized by drinking enough water is very important. Depending on your lifestyle, it’s recommended that adults drink nine to thirteen cups of water a day. If you’re not already in the habit of getting your recommended cups of water in, use the time before your surgery to get used to this increased water intake. That way, you can be sure you’re drinking enough during recovery!
Arrange your ride home
Straight after your laser eye surgery, you might feel a little out of sorts. The numbing drops and sedatives they give you at the beginning of the procedure may take a couple of hours post-op to fully wear off, leaving you experiencing sensitive and watery eyes, as well as increased drowsiness. On top of that, your vision may be slightly blurred straight after surgery. This combination of side effects makes it dangerous to drive after the procedure, so someone will have to be able to take you home after surgery. For a stress-free surgery day, try to figure out who will be driving you ahead of time by contacting trusted family members and friends.
Discontinue contact use at the right time
In the weeks leading up to your surgery, your surgeon will ask you to stop using contacts completely. This is because contacts change the shape of your eye, and consistent use can impact your surgery results. In order to avoid this, you need to give your eyes a rest and switch to using glasses exclusively. Based on the type of contacts you wear, your surgeon will give you a date that you’ll need to stop wearing them in order to ensure your eyes are correctly prepped for surgery.
Come in with a clean face
On the day of your surgery, it’ll be best to skip the lotion, perfume, and make-up you might use on a regular day. The purpose of this is to avoid getting any contaminants in your eyes that might get in the way of a smooth procedure. Additionally, try to take a shower the morning of your surgery to make sure everything is fresh and clean!
Read over your post-op care instructions
Do yourself a favor and catch up on everything you need to know about post-op prior to your surgery. This way, when you get home you can go straight to resting instead of being concerned about the dos and don’ts of your recovery. However, don’t stress out about this step too much- your Orange County LASIK surgeon like Doctor Moosa will definitely take the time to explain everything you need to know so you can be sure you’re doing everything correctly to care for your eyes.