Eye surgery may be a life-altering experience, especially for individuals who have endured decades with vision issues. Whether you want to purchase laser eye surgery in Austin or another form of corrective eye surgery, it is advisable to prepare in order to ensure the best result. This guidebook will walk you through important steps to do prior to your eye surgery appointment, having you feel prepared, ready, and informed as you undergo this major milestone in your health.
Key Points
- Knowing what kind of eye surgery you are to undergo
- Preoperative preparation in the form of medical checkup and adjustment in lifestyle
- What to do on and post-surgery
- Postoperative care and instructions for easy healing process
Knowing Your Eye Surgery
To get appropriately prepared for eye surgery, you need to have a good idea about the procedure that you are getting. LASIK, cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, and corneal transplant are some of the most common kinds of eye surgeries. There are various preparations that have to be done for each kind of surgery and there are various recoveries for each procedure.
Types of Eye Surgeries
- LASIK: Refractive surgical eye surgery which reconstructs the cornea in order to reform and correct refraction defects such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.
- Cataract Surgery: Extracting and exchanging prosthetic lens in place of the opaque one.
- Glaucoma Surgery: To reduce intraocular pressure in order to safeguard the optic nerve from damage.
- Corneal Transplant: Replaces a donor’s infected or damaged cornea with his healthy tissue.
- Pre-Surgical Preparations
- Preparation of the eyes for surgery is a process of serious steps from medical examination to lifestyle adjustments. Preparations need to be done in order to reduce risks and ensure maximum effectiveness of the process.
Medical Evaluations
You will get a complete eye test prior to your surgery. This will confirm your requirement of vision as well as examine whether there is some condition that could complicate the procedure. The other tests which can be conducted are thickness test of cornea, cornea surface map, and dilation testing of pupils.
Lifestyle Changes
There are certain lifestyle changes that can be required in the weeks prior to your surgery. You will need to cease the use of contact lenses and switch to glasses for a few weeks to permit your corneas to return to their previous shape, for example.
Avoid all medications, as well as over-the-counter supplements, which might provoke bleeding during surgery, except for those mutually agreed upon and authorized by your surgeon.
Have a driver take you to and from the procedure because you will not be driving afterwards.
Avoid or minimize makeup, creams, or lotions on the eyes the day prior to surgery to minimize the chances of infection.
During and After the Procedure
It’s a good idea to know what to anticipate beforehand and afterwards from eye surgery because this can calm you down and make you a more compliant patient when you’re working.
Before The Procedure
Eye surgery is very short, only taking 15 to 30 minutes. Surgeries are performed under local anesthetic, and you will be awake but will not feel a thing. Your eye specialist will walk you through every step and keep you as comfortable as possible.
After the Procedure
You could have some mild eye irritation, itchiness, or burning of your eyes within a short time after surgery. Vision will be blurry initially but will become clearer in a few days. Adhere strictly to all post-operative instructions from your surgeon to prevent complications and healing.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes, as this devastates the healing tissue.
- Take the full course of all medication, including antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops in your eyes.
- Visit all the follow-up sessions to have good healing and best vision correction.
FAQs On Preparing For Eye Surgery
For how long am I not allowed to wear contacts before laser eye surgery?
Typical guidelines are that you should not wear soft contact lenses for a minimum of 1 week before surgery and hard lenses for a minimum of 3 weeks.
May I eat before eye surgery?
You might need to fast for a few hours before surgery if you will be sedated. But again, this depends on the type of surgery and the kind of anesthesia you will be given, so it is always best to listen to your surgeon’s recommendation.
What are signs of complications after eye surgery?
Although complications are not common, you should be aware of the infection signs of redness, swelling, pain, or unexpected loss of vision and notify your doctor at once if any of these occur.
How long before I can return to work after eye surgery?
That varies with the kind of surgery and what your real work is. The majority of patients heal within a few days, but some physically demanding jobs or working in environments that expose eyes to dust and debris will take longer.
Preparation for eye surgery is an important step towards a successful operation and easy recovery. By getting the information on the surgery, preparation needed, and post-op care, you can assist in creating the optimal outcome for your eyes and overall well-being. Add a couple of sentences to each step.
