7 Conditions to Prepare Before Your Refractive Surgery

Your eyes have an essential role to play in your safety and movement. Any problem that interferes with your eyes’ proper function can result in accidents like falls that may lead to bodily injuries. As such, people look for solutions, such as contact lenses and glasses, to correct any eye problems like shortsightedness and long sightedness. There are also invasive procedures that aim at permanently correcting eye problems. The procedures make sure that you do not depend on contact lenses or eyeglasses for proper vision. One common procedure that achieves this is refractive surgery.

Refractive Surgery?

The term refractive surgery is adopted from the word refraction. In science, refraction refers to the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. Therefore, refractive surgery corrects errors of refraction of light in the eyes. For your eyes to create a fine image, they need to bend the light the object reflects towards them. If they fail to bend the light correctly, the image will be blurry. Some common eye problems that result from poor refraction include presbyopia, shortsightedness, astigmatism, and longsightedness.

Refractive surgery can be of different types. Brisbane refractive surgery includes procedures like photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser-assisted in situ keratomileuses (LASIK), and implantable Collamer lens. LASIK surgery is more common in the United States. In this type of refractive surgery, a laser is used to shape the cornea, thereby improving your vision. This is because the shape of the cornea mainly determines your eyes’ ability to refract light.

Preparations to make before undergoing refractive surgery.

When you are scheduled for refractive surgery, it is common to experience some nervousness. Most people are usually afraid of the surgery going wrong and losing their vision. However, the risk of loss of vision during refractive surgery is very rare. Additionally, you can prepare before the surgery to reduce the risk of complications and make the period less stressful. Some ways through which you can prepare for the surgery include:

1.Plan your financials.

Refractive surgery is costly. The cost of surgery on one eye is an average of $2,000. Therefore, you need to know how you will pay for the surgery before you go for surgery. Most insurance companies do not cover for the surgery; therefore, you need to determine whether your insurance company does.

2.Make sure someone tags along.

One important thing to do before going for the surgery is to make sure you know how to get home after the surgery. Also, you need a ride to the hospital since driving before the surgery is one thing your surgeon will advise against. Therefore, make sure an adult family member or friend drives you to the hospital and picks you up after the surgery is complete. Immediately after the surgery, your driving skills may be impaired because of the effects of the medicine used during surgery.

3.Do not apply eye make-up.

This mostly applies to women. Eye make-up can contaminate your eyes during the surgery and increase the risk of eye infection. Therefore, your face must be free of make-up on the day of surgery. Additionally, your surgeon may advise you to thoroughly clean your eyelashes a few days before the surgery to eliminate any dirt that can cause infection.

4.Inform your workplace supervisor of your absence.

You cannot work on the day of surgery and the days that follow. This usually depends on your occupation. Therefore, consult with your surgeon on whether your occupation demands that you take a work leave after the surgery. This is so that you inform your workplace supervisor beforehand

5.Do not drink alcohol on the day of surgery.

Alcohol dehydrates your body tissues, which can complicate healing after the surgery.

6.Avoid using products with a strong smell.

Besides eye make-up, you should avoid hairsprays, perfumes, aftershave, lotions, creams, mousse, and fabric softeners. Also, avoid using products containing alcohol, such as a mouthwash, before the surgery.

7.Look for a means of transport.

You will be unable to drive for the next 96 hours after LASIK surgery. If you undergo PSK surgery, you cannot drive for seven days after the surgery. Therefore, you should find an alternative means of transport wherever you go during these days.

Although some of the preparations are essential in reducing the risk of complications, certain complications, such as dry eyes, are common after surgery. However, these are manageable.

Autobiography

Elizabeth is a renowned leader in the space of Health and Mental Wellness topics. Her work has appeared on more than a dozen influential sites and blogs. Her articles both focus on providing valuable information and an entertaining read that her readers enjoy. More about her work on – ELIZABETHMARKS.me