If you are seeking a way to permanently correct your vision, then LASIK surgery may be a good choice for you. It can correct your vision so that your eyesight becomes crisp and clear without corrective lenses. LASIK surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, and it does not require a hospital stay, nor does it require the use of general anesthesia. There are, however, certain precautions you will need to take in the days following your procedure to help protect your eyes. Here are some ways to help protect your eyes after undergoing your procedure.
Wear Eye Protection
Your doctor will recommend that you wear eye protection such as goggles or safety glasses while performing physical tasks or engaging in sports. Depending upon your eye examination and general state of health, your eye doctor may recommend that you refrain from sports for a few days or up to a couple of weeks.
While it is considered safe to swim in a pool after about a week, you will need to wear swimming goggles; however, swimming in lakes, rivers, or oceans is not recommended for at least a month. Chlorinated swimming pools can help prevent eye infections, but because natural waterways are not chlorinated, you may be at risk for an eye infection after your surgery even if you wear protective eyewear while swimming.
Wearing the appropriate eyewear will also help discourage you from rubbing your eyes after your surgery. Excessively rubbing your eyes may disturb your surgical sites and may raise your risk for postoperative infections.
Monitor Your Medications
If you have allergies, then you may be used to taking over-the-counter antihistamines. In addition to raising your risk for blurred vision, antihistamines can lead to excessively dry eyes. It is important that your eyes remain moist to help enhance the healing process and so that your tears can wash away any bacteria that may get into your eyes. Antihistamine-related dry eyes can also make your eyes itching and irritated, causing you to rub your eyes more.
Other medications that may slow down the healing process after your surgery may include eye drops formulated to decrease redness. These types of drops have vasoconstriction properties on the capillaries in your eyes, which can slow down the healing process by impairing blood flow and circulation.
If you want more information on LASIK surgery, make an appointment with your eye doctor for a consultation and examination.
We all know how important it is to get regular eye examinations. We want to educate people of all ages on the importance of taking care of their eyes so that they can preserve their vision for as long as possible. Our blog posts will cover topics such as age-related eye disorders such as open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. We'll also provide you with information on contact lens care, minor eye irritations, bifocal glasses, eye infections, and medications that can cause eye problems. If we can help you keep your eyes healthy, then we've done our job.