Did you just find out you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery? Congratulations! Before you start imagining life with clear vision after your LASIK vision correction procedure, check out these 7 ways to prepare before your LASIK procedure at Diagnostic Eye Center in Houston.
1. Drink more water before your procedure
Before any procedure, it’s important to drink more water unless otherwise directed by your doctor. With LASIK, you’re doing yourself a big favor by increasing your water intake! During the hot Houston summer, upping your water intake will help keep you hydrated and promote the healing process after your procedure.
A common side effect of LASIK eye surgery is temporary dry eye. Drinking more water is a simple way to help keep your eyes lubricated.
If you’ve already scheduled your LASIK procedure, now is the time to hydrate. Aim for at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day. It can sound like a lot but is the absolute minimum amount you should be drinking to maintain proper hydration.
If you want to drink more water but are concerned about keeping track, there are apps available to help monitor water intake, remind you when it’s time to fill up your glass or help to calculate your body’s optimal water intake.
If you have any questions about water intake prior to your LASIK procedure, feel free to consult your eye doctor at the Diagnostic Eye Center for recommendations regarding best practices. We are happy to help advise you!
2. Stop wearing your contact lenses when your eye doctor tells you to
Prior to your LASIK procedure, the eye doctors at Diagnostic Eye Center will instruct you to discontinue contact lens use for at least one week for soft contacts and one month for hard contacts. This is because wearing contacts can alter the shape of your cornea and impact the results of your LASIK procedure.
It’s important to give your eyes a rest and switch to glasses for a time before the big day!
When to stop wearing contacts is an important conversation to have with your eye doctor. Based on an evaluation of your eyes, our team will let you know exactly how long before your procedure to discontinue contact lens use.
3. Plan a comfortable outfit in advance
What you wear to your LASIK procedure matters. You’ll be awake during LASIK, so it’s important to be in comfortable clothing. Stick to loose clothes that you can easily take off once you return back home.
This may be something like leggings, athletic shorts, a zipper hoodie, or a soft t-shirt. When you get LASIK, the first thing you’ll want to do when you get home is sleep. It’s a lot easier to rest at home if you’re wearing clothes that you can rest in or that you can easily change out of.
Also, do your best to avoid any clothes that may produce lint. This means no faux fur or wearing any kind of clothing that may shed. This is key because it helps keep contaminants out of the operating suite. LASIK is a safe and sterile procedure, but making that extra effort to avoid lint matters as well.
4. Find someone who can drive you to the surgery center
During LASIK, you are not put to sleep. Instead, you’ll have numbing eye drops put in your eyes. If you are nervous about the procedure, you may receive medication to help you relax.
The numbing eye drops make sure you never feel any pain when you’re undergoing LASIK. These drops wear off a few hours after your procedure is over.
Although you are not put under during LASIK, you are not allowed to drive yourself home after. Make sure you have a friend or family member that can drive you to your procedure and then drive you home afterward.
Most LASIK patients are cleared to drive during their follow-up appointment the next day. Once you are cleared by your eye doctor, you can go back to driving.
5. Read through your paperwork
The team at Diagnostic Eye Center will provide you with a LASIK consent form prior to your procedure. After reading through your paperwork, we are happy to support you by answering any further questions you may have regarding LASIK at our practice.
We want our patients to make an informed decision about the procedure. Whether your questions are about LASIK financing, safety, or about our Houston LASIK surgeons, we are happy to discuss them with you!
6. On the day of LASIK, don’t wear makeup, perfumes, or lotions
On the day of your procedure, don’t load up on heavy makeup, perfumes, or lotions. You should take a shower and make sure your face is clean of any contaminants the morning of LASIK. Make sure to skip any perfumes as well.
Don’t put on any hand or face lotions, as this can make your skin greasy. You’ll want to go into your LASIK procedure clean and ready, and wearing greasy lotions can get in your eyes. It’s always better to be safe when it comes to LASIK!
7. Plan your next summer adventures!
Following your LASIK surgery, you will need a day to rest before resuming your regular activities. After this, it’s time to explore Houston with your brand new vision! Our patients are thrilled to wake up the day following their procedure with crisp, clear vision.
For about a month following the procedure, it’s best to avoid water activities, unless you are using protective goggles. Otherwise, Houston is yours to explore! Enjoy biking around Buffalo Bayou park or play laser tag at Battlefield Houston without the hassle of glasses getting in your way! Or, plan a weekend road trip out of the city without stressing about whether or not you forgot your contact lens solution.
Many of our patients say that their one regret is not having gotten LASIK sooner, so prepare to enjoy your new life without glasses!
Curious if you could be a candidate for LASIK eye surgery? Take the Self-Test today!
Ready to schedule your LASIK procedure? Contact Diagnostic Eye Center in Houston, TX to make an appointment for LASIK today – we look forward to helping you to achieve better vision!
