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5 Things NOT to Do After LASIK
LASIK surgery is a relatively painless and non-invasive procedure that can transform your life in a variety of positive ways. But like any surgery, there are some things you need to avoid after the procedure to prevent complications. This list contains five things you should not do after your LASIK surgery.
Don’t Get Your Eyes Wet
Your eyes will be very sensitive after surgery, so it’s important to make sure that water does not get near them. Water can damage your eye physically, and it can carry organisms that cause infection. You’ll want to avoid getting water in or near your eyes after surgery. If your eyes feel dry, make sure to only use drops prescribed by your doctor.
Don’t Wear Eye Makeup or Creams
For at least a week after your LASIK surgery, you should avoid wearing any eye makeup or putting on any of your normal creams. While you’ll want to go out with your new vision looking your best, makeup and creams can irritate your corneas.
You are best off just throwing partially used makeup products away as they can easily carry bacteria. Forget about getting your hair colored or permed as well.
Don’t Rub Your Eyes
This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times you rub your eyes during the day without noticing.
Not only can rubbing damage your sensitive cornea, but any germs that might be on your hands can get into your eye and cause an infection. The last thing you want to do is hurt your vision after LASIK just because you had a little itch.
Don’t Be Around Dust or Smoke
If you, a member of your family, or someone you spend a lot of time with smokes, taking a break for a few days after your surgery is a must.You’ll also want to avoid dusty areas, so make your LASIK procedure an excuse to get a professional cleaner into your home. You’ll also want to avoid visiting outdoor areas where dust and dirt are easily picked up by the wind.
Don’t Play Sports or Sweat
Whether you like to play softball or workout several days a week on the elliptical machine, avoiding activities where things can hit your eye or cause you to sweat is important for the first few days after surgery.Don’t worry about missing practice, because your new eyesight is likely to make you a whole lot better at your favorite sport.
While avoiding some of the items on this list might be inconvenient, you won’t have to follow these guidelines for long.
For most patients, recovering from LASIK surgery only takes a couple days. Contact your eye surgeon if you have any more questions about what you can and can’t do after your surgery.
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Does Insurance Cover LASIK Surgery?
LASIK surgery is a phenomenal procedure for many people, restoring life-long vision issues associated with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The procedure is known for being fast, virtually pain-free, outpatient, and with a fast recovery time in just as little as 24 hours.
These are the known parts of LASIK. Lesser known are the ins and outs of picking a doctor and, most of all, the overall cost that can be expected.
Insurance and LASIK Surgery
Unfortunately, most insurance policies consider LASIK to be “cosmetic” surgery. Vision problems are easily fixed with less expensive eyeglasses or contact lenses. Therefore, correction through surgery is considered purely cosmetic because the patient is (presumably) only interested for aesthetic purposes.
However, certain individuals may still have insured help with the procedure. Those whose jobs rely on vision, such as military personnel, athletes, or other entertainers whose careers rely on their ability to work without vision aids
.
This doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Some employers offer discounted LASIK through agreements with LASIK doctors.
Even if you are uninsured or your insurance doesn’t cover the costs at all, LASIK surgery centers usually offer reasonable payment plans to make the procedure affordable in the long run, rather than a one-time payment.
Surgeon Experience
The longer a surgeon has been practicing, the higher their prices will be. This does not always mean the surgeon with fewer years behind the scalpel is bad at the procedure. Many younger surgeons might have better experience with newer technologies. As a rule, however, the more experience a surgeon has, the higher their premium will be.
Type of LASIK Surgery
Even though LASIK is itself a new procedure in the history of sight correction, newer technologies are developed constantly. Older techniques use a traditional blade, while newer surgeries can use laser technology instead.
Both are equally effective, and one might be more suited to your specific needs than another. The more technologically advanced laser treatments, however, have a higher cost, which is passed along to the patient.
Bargain LASIK Surgery
Shopping around for prices will reveal multiple offers for “bargain” LASIK procedures. Beware these advertisements! The steep discounts offered are driven by low-quality or outdated medical technology, hidden fees, less patient care, or a combination of these.
Even though finding a reasonable price is an important step in picking a surgeon for your LASIK, the cheapest way is not usually the safest.
Traditional insurance may not cover the cost to get your eyes permanently corrected. A little research and taking advantage of every available option, subsidy, and offer, however, will ensure your LASIK is worth every penny spent.
LASIK Surgery in Houston
Eye Center of Texas is one of the first practices in Texas to offer bladeless cataract surgery and the best blade-free LASIK surgery Houston has to offer. Call today to schedule an appointment, or contact us online.
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What You Need To Know Post-LASIK Surgery
Since receiving FDA approval in the 1990’s, LASIK Vision Correction has safely and effectively improved the eyesight for millions of people. An estimated 600,000 LASIK procedures are performed yearly in the U.S. and that number is on the rise.
Eye Center of Texas recently celebrated helping more than 75,000 satisfied patients correct their vision with LASIK in Houston. If you’re thinking about LASIK, you may want to know what to expect after this life-changing procedure. (Learn more about preparing for LASIK)
What to Expect After Surgery
The healing process starts immediately after your surgery and your doctor will recommend that you go home and rest for the remainder of the day. (Read more about the LASIK recovery timeline) You may experience temporary burning and expect blurry vision immediately after surgery, but the this should improve by the next morning.
Your eyesight should stabilize and continue to improve within a few days, although in rare cases it may take several weeks or longer. For most people, vision improves immediately.
Important Things NOT to Do After LASIK:
- No rubbing your eyes! If you rub your eyes you could shift the corneal flap – it’s important that the corneal flap heals and adheres securely to your cornea.
- No eye makeup for one (1) week.
- No swimming or hot tubs for two (2) weeks (chlorinated water irritates eyes and bacteria could be in the water).
- No working out or heavy lifting for one (1) week after surgery.
Important Things to Remember TO Do:
Follow-up appointments are a must for 3-6 months after surgery to monitor your vision and eye health. If you experience dry eyes, glare or halos, please know that most of these symptoms should be gone or reduced by your six-month follow up visit.
Knowing what to expect and how to handle the “after” of eye surgery will help prepare you for life after LASIK.
To learn more about how LASIK surgery can improve your life, contact Eye Center of Texas, leaders in Texas eye care, today to schedule a free consultation.
Further reading about LASIK in Houston:
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I’ve just had LASIK surgery! What can I expect?
If you’re thinking of having LASIK Eye Treatment, you’ll undoubtedly have a lot of questions about what to expect immediately after the operation. Do you need to take a significant amount of time off of work? What can I expect to experience? Will I be in pain? How long does it take for my vision to improve? Thankfully, LASIK surgery is one of the safest surgical procedures around. Let’s take you step by step through the immediate aftermath of a successful treatment.
Upon completion of the operation, your surgeon should have you rest for a bit. Many people report experiencing a temporary burning/itching sensation immediately after the procedure that is momentary and fleeting.
After a momentary rest, you will be released to return home. Make sure to arrange transportation ahead of time, as you won’t be able to drive yourself!
There are several important things to remember upon being released.
You will be prescribed medication. Follow your doctor’s instructions and remember to take any medication prescribed to you, such as eye drops and other medicines to lubricate your eyes.
You will have a temptation to rub your eyes. Do not rub your eyes. If you rub your eyes, there is a small chance this could dislodge the corneal flap created by the surgeon necessary in reshaping the underlying cornea.
Avoid tasks that could result in getting dust, dirt or water in your eyes. Avoid getting water in your eyes within the first 72 hours after a laser eye surgery procedure. It’s recommended that you avoid activities such as swimming or relaxing in a hot tub for several weeks post-surgery.
Blurriness and haziness is very common immediately after the surgery, but this should last only until the next day. Your eyesight will continue to improve in the next few days, although it can rarely take an additional week or two. It’s definitely recommended you take a few days off of work for proper rest and healing, although people have reported going to work the next day with no problems.
After the initial operation, your doctor will schedule a post-operative check up to occur within 24 to 48 hours of the operation. They will test your vision to ensure your eyes are healing, and whether you will be clear to drive without glasses or contact lenses. In most states, this requires uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better. There will be additional follow-up appointments as well depending on the doctor’s judgment. Appointments that are scheduled anytime from 1 week to 6 months after the operation is normal.
The good news is that for most people, their vision improves immediately!
The long-term results offer several benefits. Most people achieve 20/20 vision or better after the surgery, but results do vary. Some people only achieve 20/40 or less. You may still need to wear glasses or contact lenses following the treatment, however your prescription level typically will be much lower than before.
Complications can occur, although the LASIK Treatment is considered a very safe procedure, with current statistics showing only 1% of patients experienced serious complications.
And finally, always remember to talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns you may have. They will have the expertise to directly address any concerns that apply to your case.
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A Guide to LASIK Eye Surgery and What to Expect
If you meet the qualifications for Houston LASIK, the procedure can greatly improve your life. LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is one of the most common and successful eye surgeries to treat astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. (Further reading: What is the difference between nearsighted and farsighted?)
Understanding the Requirements for LASIK Surgery
The surgery is almost always successful, but patients must meet the right requirements. (For evaluation: Am I a candidate for LASIK?) You may be advised against LASIK surgery if your prescription is too high. If you have any temporary problems with your eyes such as conjunctivitis or an infection, you must wait until your eyes have fully healed.
Also, your cornea should be the correct thickness, as performing the surgery on a thin or misshapen cornea can affect the results. If your pupils are too large, your doctor may advise you against LASIK, as the surgery could increase your risk of side effects like halos and glares.
Before your surgery, your doctor will examine your eyes to make sure you are a candidate for LASIK. He or she will examine your cornea with a corneal topographer, an instrument that measures the curvature of your cornea. Your doctor will probably perform a wavefront analysis, a procedure that creates a map of your eye. Your pupil and the moistness of your eyes will also likely be examined.
During the LASIK Procedure
At the beginning of your surgery, your doctor will apply numbing eye drops to your eyes. A lid speculum keeps your eyelids open and a suction ring is applied to your eye to prevent movement. Then, your surgeon will use either a microkeratome tool or a femtosecond laser to create a small flap in your cornea.
The surgeon will fold back the flap to access the part of the eye called the stroma and use an excimer laser to remove some corneal tissue. Removing this tissue allows the cornea to reshape for improved vision. The laser will flatten the cornea for nearsighted people and create a steeper cornea for farsighted people. After the cornea is correctly reshaped, the flap will be placed back over the eye.
LASIK surgery only takes about five minutes on each eye and should be completed within 15 minutes. The procedure is pain-free and does not require stitches or bandages. However, you may feel some burning or itching immediately after the surgery. Your doctor will probably have you rest for a short time before a post-operative exam.
How Long Will My Vision Be Blurry After LASIK?
You will probably experience blurry or hazy vision temporarily, but your vision should be clear by the next day. Most patients notice improvements in their vision within a day of having the surgery. Over the next few days or weeks, your vision will continue to improve. Doctors usually recommend staying home for a couple days after LASIK surgery to rest and refraining from strenuous exercise for a week.
How Long After LASIK Can I See 20/20?
The results of the procedure vary from patient to patient, but many patients may see 20/20 vision after the surgery after a few days. Each patient is unique, and sometimes results may take a few weeks. In less common instances, a few patients may need to continue wearing glasses or contacts but with a much lower prescription. A LASIK enhancement procedure, while uncommon, is sometimes necessary to improve the results of the surgery.
What About LASIK After 40?
Some people also still need to use reading glasses, especially once they enter their 40s. (Read more about blended vision & LASIK after 40 and bifocals & LASIK and However, LASIK surgery has a high success rate and most people who receive the surgery experience drastically improved vision.
LASIK Surgery at Eye Center of Texas & What to Expect
Eye Center of Texas is preferred by over 300 Houston area eye doctors. Our world-class doctors use the latest technology and have helped over 75,000 satisfied patients see clearly. To learn more about LASIK surgery at Eye Center of Texas, contact us today. Here are more resources our patients have found helpful: How long after LASIK can I see 20/20? Learn more about pain above eye socket, What causes dry eyes at night? Why are my eyes red? Learn more about a bump on the eyelid that won’t go away.
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How to Choose Your LASIK Surgeon
Millions of people have turned to LASIK to correct their vision, however some people use a haphazard approach to choosing a LASIK doctor by selecting a surgeon based on cost. While LASIK has been proven to be both safe and effective, the surgeon you choose is very important, so choose wisely. Ask your optometrist who he/she recommends (ECT co-manages with 275+ Houston area optometrist – and if your optometrist is in our co-managment network, he/she can do you initial LASIK evaluation as well as your post operative LASIK care). Also, ask your co-workers, friends, family who have had LASIK who they recommend. Ask questions to help determine if your surgeon has the qualifications and experience to work on your eyes. Some questions you might want to ask are:
- How many LASIK procedures has the surgeon performed?
- What percent of LASIK patients have achieved a vision of 20/20 or better?
- What percent of LASIK patients have reported complications (halos, starbursts, dry eye, etc.) six months after surgery?
- What percent of patients have needed an LASIK enhancement?
- Equipment: What kind of technology does the surgeon use, and do you have a choice as to the type of technology? Be sure to ask if the surgeon offers 100 percent all-laser LASIK (also known as Bladeless LASIK), or if he/she uses a microkeratome blade (note, Dr. Mark Mayo and Dr. Edward Wade only perform all-laser LASIK).
- Professional, friendly staff: From the receptionist to the surgeon, a vision center’s staff and their demeanor speaks volumes.
- Relationship with your eye doctor: Will the surgeon work with your current eye doctor—both before and after surgery—to ensure your continued satisfaction with your LASIK eye surgery?
- Results: Does your provider offer a warranty (note: Dr. Mark Mayo and Dr. Edward Wade offer a ‘limited lifetime warranty’ at no additional cost).
The doctors at Eye Center of Texas will take the time to evaluate your eyes and discuss all available vision correction options, including LASIK, PRK and Visian ICL.
If you are ready to have the best vision of your life, call us today at 713-395-1515.
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New Year, New Vision with LASIK
Make a resolution to start 2016 with new and improved vision…with LASIK!
Patients can use their Flex Plan to get LASIK and fulfill their New Year’s resolution! If you or a family member has Flex Plan funds, this is a good time to make LASIK affordable.
And…LASIK is Safer than Ever Before!
Laser vision correction is one the world’s most popular elective surgeries. If you live in Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Clear Lake, Pasadena, Galveston, Kingwood, The Woodlands, Conroe, Bellaire you can visit one of our 6 locations and experience the quality care from our eye experts. Did you know that LASIK is approved for astronauts, fighter pilots and first responders? LASIK has gone through many innovations since it’s inception, which has made it safer. Presently, Bladeless LASIK or iLASIK is the ultimate technology to achieve the outcome you expect.
Because your two eyes are unique, wavefront mapping is performed on each of your eyes. This ensures a custom treatment for each individual eye. Whether you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, this treatment will produce safe, superior results.
This year fulfill a New Year’s Resolution that will change your life. Make this the year you finally get LASIK.
Meet Dr. Mark Mayo and Dr. Edward Wade at https://www.eyecenteroftexas.com/meet-the-doctors/
Call 713-797-1010 and ask for Kathy or Steve!
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Is LASIK Surgery Safe?
LASIK surgery is laser eye surgery. It is designed to correct certain visual impairments, including nearsightedness, farsightedness and severe astigmatisms. It has a 96 percent success rate and has been approved by the FDA since 1996.
LASIK is considered very safe and effective. However, a small portion of individuals that receive LASIK surgery experience some complications. Therefore, it is very important to talk to one of our eye doctors in Texas to make sure you are a good candidate.
Benefits of LASIK Surgery
- 96 Percent Effective
- No Stitches
- Noticeable Vision Correction as soon as the Next Day
- Reduced Need for Glasses or Contacts
LASIK Surgery Procedure and Safety
LASIK eye surgery is described as quick and painless, and for the most part, this is true. Numbing drops are placed into your eyes prior to the procedure, and the eye surgery only takes about 30 minutes. During your surgery, our eye doctor will create a flap in your cornea and fold the flap away from your eye.
Next, small amounts of tissue will be removed from the remainder of the cornea, according to your prescription. At the end of the surgery, our eye doctor will fold the flap back over your eye. No stitches are needed because the flap seals immediately against the surgery site.
After your surgery, you will be given drops to help keep your eyes lubricated and to prevent infection while the flap fully heals. Some people notice a dramatic increase in their vision the day after surgery. But for most people, it takes a few days to notice an improvement.
Your eye doctor will also schedule you for a follow-up a few days after the procedure to make sure you are not experiencing any complications.
Risk Factors for LASIK Surgery
It is important to understand that LASIK is a surgery, and all surgeries come with some risks. Complications with LASIK surgery occur in less than 1 percent of patients, and often the complications are easily corrected with antibiotic or lubricating drops. In rare instances, corrective procedures may be needed.
Individuals with any of these symptoms should call our eye doctor immediately even is a follow-up appointment is scheduled.
- Dry Eye That Lasts for More than a few Days
- Eye Pain
- Glare or Halo Problems
- Periodic Blurry Vision
- Problems with the Flap
- Reduced Night Vision
To schedule an appointment for a LASIK surgery consultation, call our LASIK hotline at 713-395-1515 or schedule an appointment using our convenient online form.
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Is LASIK Worth It?
LASIK has become a mainstream and routine eye surgery for millions of people the world over. As with any surgery, the LASIK operation is not without potential complications and risk; however, with the right medical team, the benefits of this procedure can be life changing.
Who is Eligible for LASIK?
It is important to note that not everyone is an ideal LASIK eye surgery candidate. The process is most effective for certain types of eyesight conditions and the overall health of individuals. Some of the requirements include, but are not limited to, a patient must be at least 18 years old, the individual must meet the guidelines approved by the FDA, a healthy retina, a stable prescription for at least a year and the patient cannot be a nursing mother or pregnant.
LASIK Benefits
Statistically speaking, LASIK is significantly less likely than short-term or long-term use of contact lens to cause infection that can negatively impair vision. For those who wear contact lens the chances of visual infection are 1 in 2,000 and for those who have LASIK treatment the chances are 1 in 10,000. The initial cost is a one-time expense rather than a monthly and annually recurring expense incurred by persons with contacts, glasses, saline solution and other eyesight maintenance required with poor vision. LASIK patients no longer face inconvenient situations when a contact is lost or glasses are broken during important or potentially dangerous moments in life such as professional meetings or driving.
The Risks of LASIK Surgery
This life-changing surgery is not without risk. It is possible that an individual may have to undergo an additional surgery within 10 years due to overcorrection, regression or under-correction. A small percentage of people who participate in this eyesight-enhancing surgery may still be required to wear glasses or contacts after the procedure. It is possible some symptoms such as dry eyes or visual effects may occur. In worst-case, and highly rare, scenarios an individual may have worse eyesight than before the operation. And, this is an elective surgery that is not covered by most insurance policies; therefore, all expenses will likely be paid in full out-of-pocket.
The benefits far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of LASIK patients with success rates of varying degrees at over 94 percent with roughly 85 percent achieving 20/20 vision or even better. For those who are eligible, this is a personal decision that each individual must make after speaking with a medical professional further about every risk and every benefit. Each case is as unique as the individual alongside their health and safety.
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Understanding LASIK Surgery
Approximately 50 percent of Americans suffer from visual impairment of some type. Astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness are examples of vision problems and may begin in youth or later in life. Glasses are the most common device used to correct poor vision, but contact lenses have also gained considerable popularity over the last four decades. LASIK eye surgery is a third option, and one that provides numerous advantages not associated with glasses or contacts. However, it is important to make sure that the surgery is completed by an experienced LASIK surgeon.
Procedure
There are several variations of the procedure, some of which are more advanced than others. The technique preferred varies somewhat from one LASIK surgeon to the next. Therefore, prospective patients are wise to discuss the different alternatives with the surgeon of their choice. However, the basic steps involved in the surgery are similar, regardless of which variation a person and his or her ophthalmologist ultimately choose.
Application of Numbing Drops
First, the surgeon applies numbing drops to the eyes. He or she then gently pulls down the lower eye lid to administer the initial dose of drops. Extra drops may be added later, if the doctor feels this is necessary. In most cases, it takes only 10 to 15 minutes for the drops to become effective. Although patients feel the presence of the device that holds the lid in an open position, experiencing pain is very rare.
Flap Creation
The surgeon’s next step is to create a flap using a blade or laser. When the flap, which is used to make the visual correction, is lifted, the patient’s vision blurs and dims and this is entirely normal.
Reshaping
Laser reshaping, the phase with which most individuals are familiar, is the point at which the surgeon will reshape the cornea’s stroma layer to ultimately correct the person’s sight. The cells removed depend on the prescription needed for each patient, and varies considerably from one individual to the next.
In most cases, patients are instructed to look at a green or red light while special ocular software tracks their eye movement. This is to ensure appropriate precision during the procedure. Patients may notice an odor and hear a clicking noise, both of which are normal and to be expected.
Following the reshaping phase, the surgeon replaces the flap he or she created with special instruments. More eye drops may be applied at this point, and the healing process begins at once. In most instances, the surgery takes 30 minutes or less.
Regardless of the specific technique used by the surgeon, the success rate of LASIK surgery has remained very high since its inception, and it is not associated with a substantial number of side effects or post surgery complications. Improvement in vision is virtually instant, but individuals are typically given very specific post-op instructions and a follow-up visit is scheduled for the morning following the surgery to evaluate the outcome and ensure it was successful. Those who believe they may benefit from surgical vision correction should discuss the pros and cons of LASIK eye surgery with a qualified and experienced ophthalmologist.
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6565 W. Loop S., Suite 650Bellaire, TX 77401
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
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Fax: 713-357-7278
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Medical Office:
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Medical Fax:
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Medical Office:
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Houston, TX 77084
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Medical Fax:
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The Woodlands/Conroe
100 Medical Center Blvd., Suite 118Conroe, TX 77304
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
936-647-1620
