Before and After Surgery
Refractive surgery process
What to expect before and after surgery will vary from patient to patient. This section cannot replace the dialogue you should have with your doctor. Read this information carefully and discuss your expectations with your doctor.Before Surgery
If you decide to undergo LASIK surgery, you will need an initial Ophthalmologic Clinical Evaluation by your eye doctor to determine if you are a good candidate.
If you wear contact lenses you should stop wearing them before your initial Ophthalmologic Clinical Evaluation and switch to wearing your glasses full-time. Contact lenses change the shape of your cornea for up to several weeks after you have stopped using them depending on the type of contact lenses you wear. Not leaving your contact lenses out long enough for your cornea to assume its natural shape before surgery can have negative consequences. These consequences include an imprecise surgical plan and inaccurate measurements, resulting in poor vision after surgery. These measurements, which determine how much corneal tissue to remove, may need to be repeated at least a week after your initial evaluation and before surgery to make sure they have not changed. If you wear:
Soft contact lenses |
Toric soft lenses
|
Hard lenses |
|
You should stop wearing them for 2 weeks before |
You should stop wearing them for at least 3 weeks before |
You should stop wearing them for at least 4 weeks before |
Medical information: You should tell to your doctor about your past and present medical and eye conditions as well as all the medications you are taking, including any medications you may be allergic to.
Important Information for a potential patient: You should discuss with your doctor about several topics, such as whether you are a good candidate, the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the surgery, you expectations and responsibilities before, during, and after surgery. You should take enough time to think about the risk/benefit discussion, to review any informational literature provided by your doctor, and to have any additional questions answered by your doctor before deciding to go through with surgery.
After Surgery
Immediately after the procedure, you may experience some discomfort, your eye may burn, itch, or feel like there is something in it. They may tear or water. Your vision will probably be hazy or blurry. You may experience sensitivity to light, glare, starbursts or haloes around lights, or the whites of your eye may look red or bloodshot. You should avoid rubbing or bumping your eyes after vision correction surgery. Rubbing your eye could dislodge the flap, requiring further treatment. This is normal and may last for a few days. Pain relievers are occasionally needed and are prescribed if necessary. To help prevent infection, you may need to wait for up to two weeks after surgery or until your doctor advises you otherwise, before using makeup, lotions or get water in your eyes. You should also avoid swimming, dusty or dirty environments, sports such as boxing, football, karate, etc. and using hot tubs or whirlpools for 1-2 months.
YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY IF:
- You experience severe pain
- Your vision or other symptoms get worse instead of better
LASIK experience at MELC
Please read the following advice to help you before, during and after your LASIK vision correction:LASIK plugs
Dry eyes one a common problem after laser vision correction. At Muscat Eye Laser Center we know how uncomfortable they can be and how they can affect the quality of your life. That’s why we recommend you have LASIK plugs fitted as part of your after care. This unique device is inserted into the tear duct and promotes natural lubrication to your eyes. The LASIK plugs gradually dissolves over a period of 3-months providing you with relief from experiencing the discomfort of dry eyes. As part of your post LASIK treatment we recommend the insertion of the LASIK plugs, on your first follow-up appointment.
On the day of surgery
- DO Have someone to pick you up, as you will not be able to drive
- DO Arrive 30 minutes before surgery time
- DON’T WEAR MAKE-UP OR PERFUME
- On arrival you will be asked to sign a consent form, and then you will be taken into one of our preparation rooms.
- Your eye(s) will be cleansed and anesthetic eye drops will be instilled to numb your eye(s).
- When you are ready you will be escorted into the laser room and assisted to lie down on the laser couch.
- The doctor will ask you to open both eyes wide and an eyelid holder will be placed to prevent your eye from closing. If you do try to close your eye you will experience some discomfort.
- You will be asked to look at a red blinking light, this light will disappear temporarily whilst the flap is made. Once again the doctor will ask you to look at the red blinking light.
- In less than a minute the laser will reshape your cornea and your vision will be corrected.
You will be escorted back to the preparation room. Protective goggles will be placed over your eyes – keep these on until you come for your follow-up appointment.
- DO Go home and close your eyes for 3-4 hours
- DO Read and follow your prescription order
- DON’T REMOVE YOUR GOGGLES
- DON’T RUB YOUR EYES HARDLY
- DON’T WEAR EYELINER FOR ONE WEEK
- DON’T GO SWIMMING (POOL/SEA) FOR ONE WEEK
- DON’T PRACTICE ANY CONTACT SPORT WITHOUT PROTECTIVE GLASSES
