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Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery might be of interest to others who want to achieve the best vision without the need for glasses or touch lenses. Although recovery itself takes only a few minutes depending on the eye and experts say most patients see well enough to drive the next day, the road to full recovery can take around six months.
During LASIK recovery, there are a few steps you and your optometrist can take in combination to help your eyes heal as productively as possible. Read on to learn more main points about LASIK recovery, as well as the usual side effects of surgery and tips for keeping your eyes in tip-top condition after the procedure.
LASIK modifies the cornea (the clear, dome-shaped front layer) of the eye to fit an individual’s vision. This surgical procedure involves creating a flap in the cornea (using a laser or a bladed device called a microkeratome) and then using a laser to reshape the cornea based on the person’s express eye measurements.
If either eye requires LASIK surgery to achieve clear vision, the procedure can be performed on either eye in the same surgical visit. It takes up to ten minutes to prepare an eye for LASIK, says Meenal Agarwal, O. D. , an optometrist and owner of the Pickering Center Optometric Clinic in Ontario, Canada. To prepare the eyes, a LASIK specialist applies numbing drops to the eyes, places a speculum on the eyelids to keep them open, and cleans the eye area.
“The actual duration of laser surgery can be anywhere from 20 seconds to two minutes depending on the eye,” Dr. Agarwal adds.
The eyes sometimes recover temporarily after LASIK surgery; According to experts, it would possibly take a few months to achieve the most productive visual results. Here’s what you can expect in the first few days, weeks, and months after surgery.
Immediately after LASIK surgery, Americans experience some (temporary) blurring of vision, and most people who have had LASIK surgery can see immediately afterward, according to Dr. Agarwal. People may also experience mild irritation, burning or stinging. sensation or feeling that there is something in your eyes. These symptoms will likely last a few days.
Directly after surgery, Americans need to go home and sleep for several hours, with eye coverage designed specifically for LASIK (provided by their doctor) to help the eye heal, says Joshua Herz, M. D. , an ophthalmologist and LASIK specialist based in Glenview, Illinois. Endeavor Health Medical Group. The shield should also be worn in bed the night of surgery.
People recovering from LASIK deserve to refrain from looking at screens for 48 hours after surgery, as this can worsen dry eyes, advises Dr. Agarwal. However, sometimes it’s prudent for a user to briefly check their phone or computer this time, he adds.
The day after LASIK surgery, fog or blurred vision tends to set in, and most people are able to drive, says Dr. Agarwal. In fact, many other people can drive themselves to their first post-operative check-up with their surgeon, which takes position regularly the day after surgery.
A series of regular eye drops (about 4 times a day) may be prescribed during the first week of recovery to help keep your eyes clean, comfortable, and healthy, according to Dr. Herz.
Artificial tears can be used as long as the eyes are dry, Dr. Herz adds. Alternatively, you and your doctor might treat prolonged dry eye with tear plugs, which are inserted into the opening of the tear ducts at the corner of your eyes. your eyes. These plugs act like a bath plug, collecting your herbal tears on the surface of your eye to provide hydration.
People have a second follow-up with their doctor a week after LASIK, says Dr. Agarwal.
A person’s vision can vary in the first week after surgery, Dr. Herz adds. Fluctuations in vision can come with decreased visual clarity or eye strain after a long day of staring at screens, Dr. Agarwal says.
Experts say Americans restrict reading, computer use, and outdoor activities for the first week after LASIK to strain their eyes. Agarwal proposed playing tactile and non-tactile sports, exercising and wearing makeup around the eyes in the face of inflammation and the threat of eye infection.
According to experts, a follow-up appointment one month after surgery is standard.
Meanwhile, a user waits two to four weeks after surgery to use a pool, spa, or hot tub to minimize the threat of eye infection, says Dr. Agarwal.
Dr. Agarwal also recommends waiting at least a month before playing contact sports, such as football, to protect the eyes from blows or shocks, which can displace the flap formed in the LASIK cornea. A displaced flap can be very painful and cause blurred vision. vision, sensitivity to light and exaggerated tearing.
Vision fluctuations occur in the first week after surgery, according to Dr. Herz. However, Dr. Agarwal warns that it can take 3 to six months for vision to stabilize.
A user will likely have a follow-up appointment 3 and/or six months after surgery, giving them the opportunity to discuss their vision progress with their LASIK provider.
Some people who undergo LASIK experience halos (rings of light around light) and glare (a wall of light around brightly lit objects), especially at night. These disappear between three and six months after the operation.
The last LASIK follow-up appointment takes place one year after surgery.
People who have had LASIK can return to work the day after surgery, depending on their personal tastes and work, Dr. Agarwal says.
“Some other people paint in a dusty, dirty environment or in front of a computer for a long time. That’s why we don’t propose [repainting] the next day,” says Dr. Agarwal, explaining that such situations can lead to excessive strain and a threat to the eyes after the operation.
If you work in a high-risk environment for post-LASIK recovery, such as an environment where your eyes could be exposed to chemicals or dust, it’s best to avoid returning to work until after the week after the procedure. Make an appointment with your eye doctor, suggests David Hall, an optometrist and associate professor at the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis.
While it is not imaginable to speed up the healing procedure in LASIK, a user can take additional steps to care for their eyes during recovery to ensure the most productive and proper healing effects.
Common effects of LASIK surgery, according to Dr. Agarwal and Dr. Herz, include:
According to Dr. Agarwal and Dr. Herz, an uncommon aspect associated with LASIK surgery is inflammation or infection due to the creation of a flap in the cornea.
“The risk of vision-threatening headaches (such as bacterial infections) is low after LASIK,” Dr. Hall adds.
Anyone experiencing the following symptoms after LASIK surgery consult a healthcare professional, according to Dr. Agarwal, Dr. Herz and Dr. Hall:
Blurred vision isn’t unusual after LASIK surgery, but it only lasts about a day, experts say. Clarity of vision will likely vary between 3 and six months.
The LASIK eye procedure takes between 10 and 15 minutes for both eyes, according to LASIK. com.
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a laser eye surgery for LASIK. After PRK, it can take patients five to seven days to return to driving and working, and about a month to see clearly, according to Dr. Agarwal. This compares to returning to work within one to three days and having clear vision about a week after LASIK.
“For either [surgery], [the patient’s] vision should be absolutely solid after 3 to six months,” adds Dr. Agarwal.
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