Care After Laser Eye Surgery - Do's & Don'ts

Care To Be Taken After Laser Eye Surgery

 - Dos & Dont's
Laser eye surgery is a very delicate operation of one of the most important parts of our bodies. The operation takes just half an hour to an hour and is done on an outpatient basis. So the patient has to make adequate arrangements for his return home as he is not allowed to drive for at least three days after the operation. He has to make arrangements for his children and workplace so that he has enough rest after the surgery.

After the surgery the patient will be given a list of things to do to avoid any side-effects & Complications of laser eye surgery and he should follow it properly.

* No Driving till the surgeon says so.

* Relax:- Immediately after the surgery, the patient should lie down and relax. He may have a little pain or irritation. This is normal and the patient should not panic. Doctors recommend that the patient goes to sleep immediately after the laser eye surgery so that any discomfort or uneasiness gets lost in sleep and you wake up to a good vision.

* Don't Rub Eyes:- He should not rub his eyes. He will be given some antibiotics so that there is no infection.

* Take Medicines as prescribed:- He should take the medicines as prescribed. If the eyes feel dry, eye drops will be prescribed.


* He should not take a shower or wash his hair until the next day.

* The patient should not watch television or read or sit at the computer as his eyes need rest. He should not allow soap to get into his eyes for at least a week after the surgery.

* Avoid cosmetics:- He should avoid using hair spray or shaving lotion for fear that it may enter the operated eyes. Rubbing the eyes even after a week is a strict no-no. The patient should wear the eye shields or goggles or sun glasses which the doctor has advised.

Even while sleeping he should wear the protective shield given to him. He should not allow tap water to enter his eyes for at least a week. There should be no makeup used for a few days. Swimming should be avoided for at least ten days after the surgery.

* No Beauty Treatment:- You may want to use the free time for beauty treatment but you should take care that hair should not be colored or permed for at least a couple of weeks after the surgery. 


* No Exercise:- The patient should not do any exercise for at least two days after the operation.

* Consumption of alcohols should be avoided for a few days.

* Bright sunshine may be harmful so the patient should shield his eyes from bright sunshine or light.

Laser eye surgery has a very high rate of success and as such, the operation done by an experienced doctor will be successful. Most patients will experience an improvement in their vision immediately or within a couple of days though the full result of the operation may be visible after several weeks. The recovery period is very short, just a couple of days with a maximum or four days.

The post operative check up is very important because the surgeon can check the progress of his patient. Though there are generally no problems after the laser eye surgery, there are certain precautions taken. If there is pain or a sudden decrease in vision or some discharge from the eyes you should contact the doctor immediately and tell him exactly what the problem is. 


Related Posts:-

* Human Eye Anatomy for Laymen

* Side effects of Laser Eye Surgery

* Complications of Laser Eye Surgery

* EK Surgery - What is Endothelial Keratoplasty?