Getting LASIK is an exciting time. One of the best parts about LASIK is the fact you see results almost immediately after surgery.
It’s true that your vision will only continue to improve in the months after LASIK. But the great thing is that most patients are able to see far better in the hours following the procedure.
If you want to get the most out of LASIK, you need to be able to treat your eyes right while you’re recovering. It isn’t at all complicated to care for your eyes after LASIK, but you have to be sure to do these key things.
Keep reading for 5 tips to follow after having LASIK!
1. Avoid Strenuous Activity
After you have any kind of surgery, you need to be careful about physical activity. Being too active puts you at higher risk for injury and can slow down the healing process.
Be sure to avoid any kind of exercise for a week or two after LASIK. If you take part in a contact sport, it’s best to wait a whole month before playing again.
2. Wear Your Eye Shields at Night
Your surgeon will probably send you home with eye shields to wear. Make sure you wear these in the first hour or so after your procedure as your eyes will be sensitive.
While you don’t need to wear these shields all the time, it’s important to wear them when you’re sleeping. When you sleep, you’re likely to rub your face and eyes against your pillow.
This can put you at higher risk for infection or displacing your corneal flap. Wearing your shields at night lowers these risks significantly.
3. Avoid Eye Contaminants
It should go without saying that you should avoid getting anything in your eyes. But you don’t only have to worry about dirt and dust.
You also shouldn’t get water in your eyes, even if it’s clean. When you shower, avoid having the showerhead pointed near your face, or stick to baths.
You may not realize it, but water is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to grow in. After LASIK, your eyes will be more sensitive and susceptible to infections.
You also should avoid pools and hot tubs for at least a month. Chlorine is a very dangerous substance to get in your eyes while they’re healing.
4. Use Eye Drops As Instructed
Either before or after LASIK, your surgeon will prescribe you medication to take while you recover. This medication usually comes in the form of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops.
Taking these eye drops as often as prescribed is critical in preventing infections. Be sure to get your prescription filled and keep up with it while your eyes heal.
If you have to take them every hour while you’re awake, it can be easier to set an alarm on your phone so you don’t forget. Set yourself up for success!
5. Don’t Wear Makeup
Makeup is another breeding ground for bacteria. Your eyes can usually handle this bacteria, provided only you use the makeup in question.
While they’re healing after LASIK, your eyes are more vulnerable to infection. You should wait anywhere from a few days to a few weeks after surgery before wearing any makeup again.
Be sure to ask your surgeon how long they recommend to wait. You can wear some makeup like lipstick, foundation, and concealer right after LASIK.
The main thing is to avoid wearing any makeup around your eyes. When you do get back to wearing makeup near and around your eyes, don’t use old makeup.
It may sound wasteful but you should throw away any old makeup from before you had LASIK. This minimizes how much bacteria you expose your eyes to.
Think of it as the perfect opportunity to buy new makeup and try a new look!
Think that LASIK is the vision correction procedure for you? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Ellis Eye in San Francisco, CA today!
