Dementia and Your Loved One

Seeing It Through: Five Things You Can Do To Prepare For LASIK Eye Surgery

22 December 2014

Vickie Armstrong

One of the most popular surgeries in the United States is vision correction for people who wear glasses or contacts. The most well-known of these, done with lasers, is called LASIK for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.

In LASIK surgeries, an eye surgeon uses a laser to precisely cut a small flap in the cornea and reshape it slightly. The reshaping allows the cornea to become either flatter for nearsighted patients or steeper for farsighted patients, and thus better focus light on to the retina in the back of the eye.

If you're considering LASIK surgery, you've probably discussed how the surgery works with your eye doctor, and you may even have the surgery scheduled. You're pretty sure you know what to expect. Now the main step is to prepare for the big day. Here's how:

1. Determine costs and how you'll pay.

The first step in preparing for LASIK is knowing how you'll pay for it. The surgery is usually not covered by vision insurance, although some patients may have a portion of the expense covered if the surgery is advised by a qualified ophthalmologist.

Eye surgery is not a good place to skimp on cost, either. Clinics exist only to perform this surgery, but you'll want to be very careful about the quality and reputation of the facility. Talk to your doctor and get a recommendation for where you should go to get the operation done.

2. Stop wearing contacts.

Your surgeon will want to do a comprehensive eye health exam to ensure that you're a good candidate for the procedure. Starting a week or two before this exam -- depending on the instructions your doctor gives you -- you will need to keep your contacts out and wear glasses only.

This is because the contact can make an impression on your eye and alter the results that the surgeon finds. He or she will want to carefully measure your eye, including the amount of curvature your cornea has, and anything that might alter that should be stopped.

If you do go through with the surgery, your doctor will ask you to keep your contacts out for a couple of weeks before the operation for the same reason.

3. Limit or completely go without eye makeup and lotions.

You'll want to stop wearing any cosmetics around the eye for at least a few days before surgery. According to doctors, some of these may cause issues with the laser procedure or make you more at risk for infection.

For ladies who have a hard time going without makeup, talk to your doctor about what is allowed. You may be able to wear eye shadow above your lid, for example, while going without eye liner or mascara for a few days.

4. Make arrangements for a ride.

You won't be able to drive yourself home safely once the procedure is complete. Your vision is very likely to be blurry for at least a few hours, if not days, after the operation. You may also feel the impact of medications given to you during the surgery. Have a family member, friend or neighbor give you a ride or arrange to have a taxi pick you up.

5. Plan for what you can't do.

There are some activities that are not recommended for at least a few weeks after the surgery. These include participating in contact sports or swimming.

You'll want to make sure you attend any scheduled follow-up visits to the doctor to have your eyes checked for how they are healing. If you have questions about the risks associated with LASIK, talk to your doctor well in advance so you can make an informed decision.

Check out sites such as http://www.checdocs.org for more information.

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