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As we get closer to the end of the year, and the fall festivities transition to the holiday season in what feels like no time at all, having eye surgery may seem like a pain. You may be wondering if your recovery is going to affect your everyday life and keep you from doing all the cool things you want to do during these last few months of the year.
Fortunately, when it comes to the most common eye procedures, like LASIK eye surgery, recovery time is typically short, and patients are usually able to resume their normal activities in a matter of days.
But in order to make sure that you have a successful, seamless and fast recovery process, it’s essential to follow a few post-op procedures.
Here are five eye care tips that you need to follow to ensure that your LASIK eye surgery recovery process is healthy, safe and quick.
Don’t Rub Your Eyes
This is likely the most important, yet most difficult, piece of advice to follow, as the urge to rub your eyes intensifies when you feel the need to alleviate any discomfort you feel after LASIK eye surgery.
However, although very rare, rubbing your eyes can cause the corneal flap in your eye to become displaced. Minimize the risk of a flap complication by not rubbing your eyes.
Use the Right Eyewear
Immediately after LASIK eye surgery, you’ll experience increased sensitivity in your eyes. Shielding them will lessen irritation and accelerate healing.
Wear the eye shields provided by your doctor for a minimum of four nights after your surgery. This piece of eyewear will protect your eyes in case you roll over on to your face while you sleep and will keep you from rubbing your eyes when you wake up.
Also, sunglasses should be worn when outside for the first few weeks to protect your eyes from harmful rays. Similarly, at night, goggles should be worn to prevent injury from unconscious eye rubbing.
Be Wary of Water
Although water seems like a harmless cleanser, it’s possible for it to cause unwanted chemicals and particles to get into the eye.
On the day of your surgery, showers are not recommended post-op due to the potential introduction of soap or shampoo into the eye region. It’s also important for patients to be highly careful about keeping water, soap and hair care products away from the eye for seven days.
Make sure to also avoid swimming and hot tubs for the following month, as these waters are infused with chlorine, salt and other harmful chemicals that could cause irritation, redness and corneal tissue infection.
Be Careful with Makeup
It’s generally recommended to wait seven days after LASIK eye surgery to apply any eye makeup, including eye cream, eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara. After these seven days, be extremely careful not to rub your eye and ensure that powders, like toners and blush, don’t get into your eye.
Additionally, in order to minimize the risk of infection, it would be ideal to purchase new eye makeup to wear after your LASIK eye surgery.
Watch Your Workouts
During the recovery period, intense movements could slow down the healing process or cause a complication. So for the first week after LASIK eye surgery, it is highly suggested that you not take part in any sort of physical activity.
And as for contact sports or rough exercising, continue to avoid these activities during the first month post-LASIK.
If you do wish to engage in physical activity, proper protective eyewear, like polycarbonate goggles, should be worn to ensure full protection.
As with any other type of surgery, the success and speed of the recovery process for LASIK eye surgery lies heavily in the hands of the patient. By correctly following these post-LASIK eye care tips, you’ll be able to recover smoothly and swiftly.
If you’re thinking about getting LASIK eye surgery, and having a full recovery before the busy holiday season starts up, contact us for a free, no-risk consultation today.
