Laser Eye Surgery – What You Need to Know

Wearing corrective lenses, whether glasses or contacts, can be tiresome—and laser eye surgery can seem like the only alternative for you. However, not everyone is an ideal candidate for laser eye surgery, LASIK surgery in particular.

Who Makes a Good Laser Surgery Candidate?

For one thing, you should be age 18 or older (some procedures even require the patient to be at least 21). The reason for this is that a younger person’s vision typically keeps changing.

Pregnant or nursing mothers are also not eligible since the refraction of the eye changes under these conditions and can, therefore, not be measured with much accuracy. People on prescription drugs should also not be admitted for laser eye surgery. Drugs such as Prednisone or Accutane should be flushed out of the system first before even scheduling laser surgery.

A reputable laser eye surgery clinic will also not operate on you unless your eyes are healthy and your prescription is stable. Neither will a good doctor operate on a patient who is not healthy. However, under certain circumstances, patients with diabetes and arthritis may be admitted.

Things to Consider Before Undergoing Laser Surgery

The success rate for LASIK is highly impressive. But as with any other medical procedure, risks and complications may be present. It is also important to know that LASIK will not necessarily give you perfect vision.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, 7 out of 10 patients get 20/20 vision through LASIK, but 20/20 does not make vision perfect. For example, if LASIK corrects your vision for distance, you will still need reading glasses at about age 45.

Since laser eye surgery using LASIK technology is a relatively new practice, it is still too early to know if there are any serious long term side effects from the procedure. However, one thing is certain, LASIK surgery can never be reversed.

Things to Consider After Undergoing Laser Surgery

You need to take special post-op measures to ensure that your freshly operated eye is not infected or damaged during the healing period.

Never shower or even wash your hair after eye laser surgery. Furthermore, avoid getting any kind of soap, toiletry product, OR EVEN TAP WATER into your eye during the first week after surgery. These contain chemicals and substances that may damage your eye. This means that you should not use make up during this period either.

You must, of course, avoid rubbing a freshly operated eye. Moreover, keep any eye gear your doctor gives you for as long as instructed. You will usually have to keep a shield on for around 3 days after surgery.

If you need to get your hair treated or colored, wait 10 days after your laser eye surgery. And do not exercise for a couple of days. If you have to work out during the first month post-surgery, wear an eye patch or plastic shield.

Finally, since the ultraviolet rays of the sun can cause scarring on your eye, use a good pair of UV-protected dark glasses for ONE YEAR after your laser surgery.