OCC LASIK Surgery Post-Operative Care

LASIK surgery has become incredibly advanced. Typical patient after-care is quite short, and presents minimal complications when followed correctly. That said, LASIK is still a surgical procedure, and if the after care program is not followed closely, the potential for risks is increased. It’s also important to note that every patient is different, and after-care procedures and timelines may vary depending on the individual.

The following outline is relatively standard, and representative of what most patients can expect following their surgery.

Immediately following surgery

It’s quite normal, and expected, that you will have some discomfort immediately following your surgery. Most patients report the sensation of a foreign body on their eye, such as a grain of dirt, or an eyelash. We recommend that patients lie down and rest their eyes for a few hours immediately following surgery.

For the first one to two days after surgery, it’s common to be sensitive to light, experience glare or halos when exposed to lights, and have redness in the eye. Most patients can return to work one to two days after surgery, although you should avoid reading, TV, and computer use for at least 24 hours following surgery.

After surgery care

Before surgery, your entire after care program will be explained, and can vary depending on your individual situation. Typically, patients will be given antibiotic eye drops, anti inflammatory eye drops, and lubricating eye drops, each with a specific schedule for when they should be administered. Each day requires progressively less drop usage, until about 14 days after surgery when only the lubricating drops are required, as needed.

Follow up appointments

Your surgery usually includes 5 follow up appointments to ensure that your eyes are healing correctly. These appointments are typically very short, and provide you with the opportunity to voice any concerns to your optometrist. Your follow up appointment schedule is as follows:

• One day post surgery
• One week post surgery
• One month post surgery
• Three months post surgery
• One year post surgery

When our detailed after care schedule is followed correctly, the possibility of risks and complications are extremely low. For more information on how to properly care for your eyes after LASIK, contact our vision experts here, or by phone at 905.212.9482.