Refractive surgery is an outpatient technique, so you won't spend the night in the hospital.
Here's what you can expect:
Before refractive surgery
If you use contact lenses, stop wearing them 2-3 weeks before your baseline exam and a few days before surgery. Contact lenses can cause a reversible change in the shape of your cornea. That's why it's vital to keep them out.
The day before surgery, you should stop:
- Wearing eye makeup
- Using perfumes
During refractive surgery
Your doctor will numb your eye, but you'll be awake during the treatment. Doctors perform LASIK and PRK in the office, while they do ICL surgery in the operating room.
After refractive surgery
Post-op, as the eyes heal, you may:
- Feel like there's something in your eye or have burning or itching. It's crucial not to rub your eyes.
- Have fluctuating or blurry vision.
- See halos or starbursts.
- Be sensitive to light.
After your laser eye surgery, you'll need to:
- Have someone drive you home.
- Wear clear eye shields to protect your eyes for the first day.
- See the eye doctor within 24-48 hours post-op. They will give you eye drops to help prevent infection and inflammation.
It's best to take a few days off work to help your eyes heal.
For at least 6 months after surgery, you'll have routine visits with your eye doctor. They will check your eyes and test your vision.