Pre-operative and Post-operative Instructions

Getting Ready

Pre-operative Evaluation for LASIK Surgery
Proper planning and care increases the success rate of any surgery. To save time there are many elements of the evaluation that should be clear to each prospective candidate. The elements of the final exam are also important for the proper surgical plan.

Understanding the Surgery
Each patient has a responsibility to understand the surgery, its potential risks and benefits. A discussion of these elements is important. You should understand the following prior to signing the consent form:

• What is a realistic expectation
• Alternatives to LASIK including glasses, contact lenses, PRK, RK and intracorneal rings (intacs)
• Effect of surgery on close up vision if you are approaching 40 years of age (the need for reading glasses)
• Risks including infection, glare, halos, wrinkles in the flap, loss of best corrected vision

Preparing for surgery

• You are required to stop wearing contact lenses prior to the surgery: 7 days for soft lenses, two weeks for toric lenses, and 2-3 weeks for rigid gas permeable lenses (or until the cornea is stable)
• FOR CustomVue PATIENTS: CONTACTS SHOULD BE OUT A MINIMUM OF TWO WEEKS FOR SOFT LENSES, or longer as instructed by the doctor, THREE WEEKS FOR GAS PERMEABLE LENSES, or longer as instructed by the doctor.
• A driver must accompany the patient or prior arrangement for transportation.
• Take your regular medications
• No perfume or any make-up
• Eat a light breakfast or lunch
• Wear loose comfortable clothing
• You must be accompanied by a responsible adult on the day of surgery

Day of Surgery

Please arrive on time.

You will be escorted to the laser room only after you have signed the consent form and all your questions were answered. The following are temporary side effects of the procedure, which usually last a short period of time:

• Foreign body, scratchy sensation
• Tearing
• Light sensitivity
• Fluctuation and blurring of vision for the first few days that usually improves over the next few weeks
• Halos at night
• Red spots of blood on the white part of the eye
• Most of the vision correction occurs within the first 24 hours

After the Surgery

Please read carefully!

• Do not rub or squeeze your eyes for one week
• Please use your eye drops as instructed
• Wear sunglasses
• Wear the eye shield for the first three nights after the surgery.
• No make-up for one week
• Avoid contaminated water, such as pools and hot tubs for one week
• No sports for one week
• Call the office if you have severe pain that cannot be controlled with over the counter pain medications
• It is very important to keep up all your post-operative appointments