What to Expect on the Day of LASIK Surgery
Many patients wonder what will happen on the day of their LASIK procedure. And while it’s natural to feel a mix of anticipation and nervousness about having LASIK done, some patients are overly fearful, thinking that it will be a painful, long and arduous process, but it isn’t!
We’re happy to let you know that there isn’t a whole lot of prep work required (on your end) to ensure that your LASIK procedure goes smoothly.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to what happens on the day you have LASIK, including details about preparing for your procedure, as well as recovering from it.
Prior to Your Surgery
While preparation for LASIK surgery is significantly less intensive compared to other surgical procedures, there are a few things you’ll need to do to ensure that all goes well.
Here’s a simple checklist of items to remember while prepping for your LASIK procedure:
- Plan to spend 2 to 3 hours with us on the day of your scheduled procedure
- Arrange for a ride home from your procedure. If you need assistance with transportation, please let us know. For patients who live outside of Orange County, we offer complimentary hotel accommodations and transportation
- Wear comfortable clothing on the day of your procedure. It’s a little cool in the laser rooms, so remember to bring along a sweater. If you forget, we do have warm blankets for your comfort
- Do not drink alcohol on the day of your procedure
- Do not wear eye makeup, perfume, or cologne on the day of your procedure
- If you wear soft contact lenses, you should be out of your contacts for two days prior to your procedure, if possible. If you wear gas permeable/hard contact lenses, you should be out of your contacts for two weeks prior to your procedure
Following these simple guidelines is the best way to ensure that your procedure goes well.
The Day of Surgery
Here’s a quick breakdown of what will occur on the day of your LASIK procedure:
First, you’ll meet with our staff to discuss the procedure in detail, get any questions answered, and prepare for surgery.
You’ll be given a series of eye numbing drops to take care of any discomfort that could be felt during the procedure. Then Dr. Manger will use a painless device to gently hold your eye open for the duration of the surgery.
You will remain awake throughout the procedure, but you’ll be comfortable. Even patients who’ve self-reported as being squeamish around medical procedures have done great in the expert hands of Dr. Manger, so you have nothing to worry about. However, watching TV or having dinner is fine! You’ll be able to return to all your normal activities such as driving, computer work, reading, working out, etc. the day following your procedure as there are very few restrictions following LASIK.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll advise you to use lubricating eye drops to help the healing process and to wear high-quality, polarized sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays when you’re outside, but other than that there isn’t much else to do.
We understand how vital post-operative care is, which is why we provide all of your care for one year following the procedure, ensuring that your vision is well taken care of.
Included in the post-operative care package are your initial post-op medications, 1-day and 6-month post-op visits, and any enhancements that might be required (these are extremely rare). We do have an open-door policy and are happy to see you anytime during the first year. Simply call our office and we’ll schedule an appointment for you to come in.
What to Expect
Immediately after your procedure, your vision may be a little blurry. This is normal. You will notice a significant improvement in your vision the morning following your procedure, and most of our patients see 20/20 or better at their one-day post-op appointment.
You may have some mild discomfort for a few hours after your procedure as the numbing drops wear off. Patients usually compare this to a dirty contact lens feeling. The best thing to do is to keep your eyes gently closed for a few hours following your procedure to reduce any discomfort.
It’s possible that you will also experience more tearing than usual, or a heightened sensitivity to light, but don’t be alarmed, because these are common, temporary side effects of LASIK. To maximize the chances that you will avoid these side effects, we recommend resting your eyes as much as possible for the remainder of the day following your procedure.
Typically, it may take a few days or a few weeks for any side effects to dissipate. Don’t be alarmed if your vision fluctuates slightly from day to day or morning to night for the first few days. Some patients may notice their eyes feel a little drier than usual, which is why we recommend lubricating drops for the first three months following your LASIK procedure. You may notice some glare or halos at night for the first few days or few weeks but using the lubricating drops as instructed will help alleviate these side effects as well.
While less than 2% of Dr. Manger’s patients need an enhancement or touch-up procedure, remember that our LASIK package includes any enhancements required to perfect your vision. If an enhancement should be required (which occurs very rarely), we’ll schedule it 6-9 months after your initial surgery, to ensure that your vision has fully stabilized.
Conclusion
Laser eye surgery recovery times are far faster than most other medical procedures, with the vast majority of patients returning to normal activities the day after having their surgery.
And while some LASIK doctors don’t see their patients for post-operative care, Dr. Manger remains available to his patients throughout the entire year of follow-up care!
Whatever your vision problem might be, there’s a good chance that we can improve it, giving you the crystal clear vision you’ve always dreamed of.
To find out if you are a good candidate for our bladeless, all-laser custom LASIK procedure, please contact us now at (877) 351-3937 or click here to schedule your free* LASIK exam today.
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