The thought of undergoing an eye surgery can be a frightening prospect. Read on to know what you can expect form the surgery. Knowing as much as you can about the procedure can go a long way towards easing much of the anxiety you feel:
Before the surgery
- You’ll need to stop wearing your lenses. If you have soft contact lenses, you’ll need to stop wearing them 2 full weeks before you go in for an evaluation with an eye doctor. Have rigid gas permeable lenses? You’ll need to go off the lenses for at least 3 weeks.
- Tell your doctor about your medical history. This should include any current or past treatments, surgeries, conditions and allergies you have. If you’re taking any medication or supplements, you’ll want to tell your doctor about that as well.
- Be prepared for a round of exams. These will determine whether you’re a good candidate for the surgery or not.
After the surgery
- Give yourself as much time as you need to recover.
- Wear protective eyewear. Your doctor will provide you with goggles that you’ll need to wear at all times, even when you sleep. This will keep you from rubbing your eyes to prevent infection from setting in.
- Don’t drive. You might suffer from temporary side-effects like hazy or blurred vision. For your safety, it would be better to ask someone to drive you home from the eye center after the procedure is done.
- Keep away from dust and dirt. This could irritate your eyes. Clean your home before the surgery so you’ll be ready once you’re back from the procedure.
Reminders
If you experience acute pain after the eye surgery, get in touch with your doctor right away, says the FDA. To avoid any complications or problems, find an experienced, trained and reputable eye doctor to perform the procedure.