What is Lasik Surgery?
LASIK stands for Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. This is a laser surgery that is used to fix vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. It reshapes the cornea, which is the clear front part of the eye, which improves how light focuses on the retina.
There are approximately seven hundred thousand people that have LASIK done each year. This is one of the most popular types of eye surgery in the world. It is an outpatient procedure that can be done over your lunch hour.
You can get this procedure done in any state in America. If you want to have Lasik in NJ you can put it in your search bar and see what comes up. Remember to research any surgeon that you find to make sure that they are reputable – you don’t want someone to ruin your eyes.
This article will tell you how to prepare for this surgery. It will help you to know what you should do before the surgery happens. You can also do more research to find the information you are seeking.
Preparing for Lasik
- Research, Research, Research – When preparing for LASIK, you first need to research the procedure and the surgeons who do this procedure: https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/5-tips-researching-lasik-online/. You want to make sure that you make the surgery less scary and you can do this by doing research. You can learn more about LASIK and more about your surgeon by doing research.
There are some things you will want to learn about such as board certification, how many procedures they have done, realism in telling you about the surgery, and whether they are a part of an experienced team. These are all important questions you should ask before you have this procedure done. If you learn about all these things, you will feel more comfortable about it.
- Schedule a Consultation – After you have found the best LASIK surgeon in your area, you will need to schedule a consultation. You will learn about you and your eyes at this consultation. This is the only way the surgeon can determine if you are a good candidate.
This is also the perfect time for you to ask any questions that you might have. If you are worried about anything, ask questions. Your doctor will have all your answers.
- You Need to Stay Healthy – Once you have been approved for the surgery and you have decided to have it done, stay healthy. Even temporary illnesses, such as a cold or the flu, can postpone the surgery for days. Take extra vitamins and stay away from people who are ill.
You can also make sure that you are healthy by eating fruits and vegetables and getting good sleep. Regular exercise will help as well. You want to go in feeling your best and this will all help you.
- Your Dry Eyes Need to be Treated – If you have dry eyes, you need to make sure that they are treated before you go in. If you leave your dry eyes untreated, you will be an unfit candidate for Lasik. See more here. Ask your doctor what you can do before you go in if you have dry eyes.
You want to make sure that you are completely healthy, especially your eyes. You don’t want to delay your surgery even longer because you failed to take care of your eyes. Your surgeon can give you even more instructions that you must follow.
- You Must Drink Enough Water – You need to stay hydrated in the weeks before your surgery. Drink plenty of water during these days. It will help your eyes stay hydrated and protect them from injury and irritation.
Keeping hydrated during this time will also make you more comfortable after the eye correction procedure. Your eyes will feel drier afterwards, and staying hydrated will help with this. It can minimize the dryness of the procedure.
- Stay Away from Caffeine and Alcohol – Just as you want to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water, you want to avoid beverages that can dry out your eyes. Some of the most dehydrating beverages that you can drink contain caffeine and alcohol. You will want to give these up in the days before your procedure.
If you like to wake up with a coffee each morning or like to unwind with a glass of wine, don’t worry. You will only have to do without for a week or so and then you can go back to your habits afterwards. You will be thankful that you did this when your surgery goes well.
- You Must Stop Wearing Contacts – If you wear contacts, you will need to stop wearing them before surgery. This is because they will temporarily change the shape of your cornea. It can also cause small distortions to the corneas surface.
If your cornea’s shape has changed and you fail to stop wearing contacts in time, it will affect the mapping of your cornea. This is necessary for successful surgery. The time needed for you to stop wearing them depends on the type of contacts that you wear.
- You Should Fully Understand the Procedure – Your surgeon will go over each step of the procedure with you before it begins. If you don’t fully understand what will happen, ask any questions that you might have. Your doctor will explain everything to you in terms that you can understand.
- Plan for the Day of Your Procedure – You will need to have a friend or family member bring you to and from the appointment. You will not be able to drive afterwards, so you will need someone to drive for you. You might also ask them to help you with any minor household needs that you might have afterwards.
- Prepare for Your Recovery – You will need to plan for your recovery as much as you prepared for the day of the surgery. You should closely follow the instructions that you were given. This will help you to fully recover from the procedure.
Conclusion
You will want to ask lots of questions before, during and after your Lasik procedure. You will want to learn everything you can so that the procedure will go as it should. Asking questions will help you to learn all there is to know.
