I had a successful laser eye surgery procedure done this past December 2012. I’m happy to announce that my poor nearsighted vision, plus an astigmatism in my left eye was corrected to mind-blowing 20/20 vision. However, going into the surgery, sure I was fully versed on what to expect as far as the basics—surgery cost, risks, recovery time—but there were a few aspects that I would have liked to know before, during, and following the procedure that the medical staff didn’t cover.
So, as someone who’s “been there-done that”, here are ten things to know before getting laser eye surgery…
1. The importance of following pre-surgery instructions
Your eye doctor might tell you to forgo contact lenses and makeup the week pre-surgery, but he or she may not explain exactly why and how serious the consequences are if you ignore this advice. Wearing contacts actually alters the shape of the cornea and you want it to return to its natural shape before your surgery. And makeup, lotions, or perfume should be forgone prior to surgery to reduce the risk of infection post-surgery.