Posted by: Associates in Ophthalmology (NJ) in LASIK
LASIK is one of the most well-known refractive procedures in the world. It has routinely been delivering excellent results since it gained FDA approval.
The procedure itself creates many of the benefits you receive from LASIK. Also, the technology used and your surgeon’s experience play a significant role in your LASIK outcome.
But you can also influence the results of your LASIK procedure. Keep reading to learn what you can do during your LASIK recovery to ensure the best results possible!
What is LASIK?
LASIK is a vision correction procedure that uses a laser to reshape your cornea. Misshapen corneas create the common eye conditions of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.
LASIK fixes your eyesight by making the shape of your cornea more uniform. After LASIK, you no longer need glasses or contacts to see clearly.
During LASIK, your surgeon uses two lasers. The first, called a femtosecond laser, makes a flap in the outer layer of your cornea or epithelium. This flap gives your surgeon access to the thicker tissue in the middle layer of your cornea.
Once the flap gets pulled back off your cornea, your surgeon uses an excimer laser to remove tiny bits of tissue. Removing this tissue fixes the shape of your cornea, which corrects your vision.
After the reshaping, your surgeon places the flap back over your cornea. It attaches itself during your recovery.
LASIK Recovery
The recovery period after LASIK is your chance to affect the outcome of your procedure. Following your eye doctor’s instructions, resting, and a healthy lifestyle help you heal.
Immediately following your procedure, you may have some discomfort. Common side effects include itchiness, grittiness, or burning, as well as excessive watering.
They should go away on their own within a few hours or a day. Your eye doctor may also provide pain-reducing eye drops for this period after LASIK. Be sure to use any medicines your eye doctor gives you or prescribes you.
Within a day or two of your procedure, you will have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon. They will examine your eyes to ensure everything went well.
You will have more follow-ups for the next six months. These appointments allow your eye doctor to track your recovery.
Your vision may be better within a few hours after LASIK, but it does not fully stabilize until a few months after. It may be better than before LASIK immediately, and it will keep getting better for months afterward.
What Can You Do During Your LASIK Recovery?
After a day or two of recovery, you can go back to a pretty typical everyday routine. There are just a few activities that you need to avoid for longer than a few days.
Avoid strenuous or contact sports, swimming, and hot tubs for a month or two after LASIK. Contact in sports can potentially knock the flap loose, which affects your results.
Also, you must avoid swimming and using hot tubs to prevent an infection. Water in your eyes too soon after LASIK increases your chances of infection and can undo your results.
The easiest way to have a good LASIK recovery is to follow your doctor’s instructions and attend all your appointments. If you follow their orders, you should get the results you want from LASIK!
Are you ready for the visual freedom LASIK provides? Schedule an appointment at Associates in Ophthalmology in Livingston, NJ, today!
