Here are the Things to Avoid after LASIK Eye Surgery

Laser in-situ keratomileusis, or LASIK, is a standard eye procedure designed to rectify astigmatism, farsightedness, and near-sightedness.

LASIK eye surgery is one of the many treatments that reshape the cornea, so light rays fall on your retina correctly to correct vision. People often choose LASIK treatment so that they can stop using spectacles.

Because LASIK is a sensitive surgery, there are a few things your surgeon will prohibit you from doing right after the surgery and sometimes a few weeks into recovery.

You should learn about these activities if you want to maintain good eye health, avoid complications post-surgery, and improve the chances of good outcomes.

The information below will highlight some things you should avoid after getting LASIK treatment.

What You Should Avoid After LASIK

Dust and Pollen

Dust and pollen irritate the eyes even if you have not undergone surgery. After LASIK, your eyes are sensitive, so exposure to dust and pollen will irritate the eyes. You could develop pain, redness, and discomfort, making the recovery more difficult than it should be.

Washing Hair

Shampoo, soap, and steam are irritants that can affect your LASIK recovery. That is why your surgeon will encourage you to refrain from washing your hair or getting exposed to steam and soap.

You should take these considerations when showering, too, ensuring that steam does not hit you directly in the face. And on that note, avoid getting into hot tubs as well. Wait for at least a week before washing your hair.

Eye Rubbing

Rubbing your eyes is out of the question after surgery. As mentioned, your eyes are very sensitive after LASIK. Any irritation could mean a difficult recovery period. Therefore, you need to avoid rubbing your eyes for this reason.

In addition, rubbing your eyes could introduce bacteria, making you more prone to infections. Therefore, your LASIK recovery will be delayed because of a bacterial infection.

Surgeons recommend washing out your eyes if dust, pollen, or an eyelash gets in them after LASIK. However, ordinary tap water is not suitable. Instead, use artificial tears to flush the eye.

Exercise

As dedicated as you are to your workout routine, skipping exercise for the first week after LASIK is better. Exercise and sports can strain your eyes, making recovery difficult.

In addition, sweating from physical activity poses a threat to recovering eyes. The sweat could carry bacteria to the eyes, triggering infections. In addition, sweat is an irritant to sensitive eyes. So, avoid vigorous physical activity while recovering.

Wearing Makeup

It should go without saying, but makeup is another thing you should avoid during recovery. Multiple things could go wrong with wearing makeup after LASIK.

First, you could harm yourself with makeup tools such as brushes and mascara wands. This will lead to pain, irritation, redness, and even inflammation. Your recovery will become more challenging.

Secondly, makeup could irritate sensitive eyes. Even if you are not sensitive to makeup, your eyes may sustain some symptoms since they are sensitive after surgery. So, you could develop more redness and irritation from makeup.

Thirdly, makeup and its tools could carry bacteria into your recovering eyes, triggering infections. Poorly stored makeup could harbor germs and bacteria, which will transfer to your eyes. Wait until your eyes are fully recovered to wear makeup again.

Swimming

Your surgeon will tell you that introducing moisture to your eyes after LASIK is not advisable. Water will irritate the eyes and make recovery a lot harder. With that said, swimming is another activity you should refrain from.

Besides moisture, swimming pools have chlorine which affects the eyes, even if you are not recovering from surgery. Everyone is advised against opening their eyes underwater because of chlorine.

With sensitive recovering eyes, the effects of chlorine could be more severe and make recovery more challenging. In addition, there could be bacteria and germs that will trigger infections in your recovering eyes. So, stay out of the water until your surgeon gives you the green light.

Electronic Devices and Reading

Reading and using electronic devices such as laptops can strain the eyes. This is because these activities reduce the frequency of blinking. So, your eyes do not receive a fresh coat of moisture every few minutes, triggering discomfort and strain.

On regular eyes, the strain is uncomfortable and could even trigger a headache. On recovering eyes, the effects could be more adverse.

So, if you must pass the time after your surgery, consider podcasts and activities that use your other senses. You should be back to reading and scrolling through social media after 24 hours.

Direct Sunlight

Direct sunlight is not suitable for any pair of eyes. Harmful UV rays can damage the eye and even trigger vision loss. Eye specialists recommend wearing UV-blocking sunglasses, even on cloudy days.

Direct sunlight on post-LASIK eyes is not good. You will suffer from irritation, redness, and even pain. So, avoid going into the sun, especially immediately after the surgery. Stay indoors for a few days, or limit exposure.

Speak to your doctor about sunglasses and eye protection post-surgery and even for everyday use after recovery.

Missing Follow-up Appointments

Your surgeon needs to monitor your recovery and results. So, you should get a schedule for follow-up appointments. Post-LASIK patients need to be diligent with follow-up appointments for better outcomes.

These appointments help the surgeon determine the success of the procedure. In addition, the surgeon can quickly identify any developing infections or complications concerning the surgery.

The appointments also allow you to share any concerns or discomforts you may be experiencing for prompt treatment. So, ensure you attend all mandatory follow-up appointments.

Takeaway

Maintaining a smooth and fast recovery should be your goal. LASIK makes your eyes sensitive, so various activities and things could make the recovery more painful and longer than it should be. By avoiding the things on the list above, patients have a better chance at a smooth recovery.

That being said, ensure that you get LASIK surgery from qualified practitioners to improve outcomes. Our establishment is fully equipped for LASIK and other eye procedures. We also have skilled surgeons who will take care of you every step of the way. Call today to reserve an appointment.