At the Black Hills Regional Eye Institute, our talented doctors pride themselves on giving patients the best care available. We know that, for our patients in Rapid City, laser eye surgery success is dependent on more than just the actual procedure. Preparation and recovery also have a strong impact on the outcome of laser eye surgery. We give our Rapid City patients thorough pre-operative LASIK instructions to make sure that they are fully prepared for surgery, both mentally and physically. When our patients are well prepared for the LASIK procedure, they increase the chances of having a successful and uncomplicated surgery.
Pre-operative Instructions
At our practice in Rapid City, LASIK surgery is a procedure that continues to evolve as new technology is developed. Because of these advances, we are able to customize every laser surgery procedure to best meet the needs of our patients. Our doctors will give you a list of pre-operative instructions to be followed leading up to your procedure. In general, you can expect some of the following instructions:
- Leading up to surgery, you will need to refrain from using contact lenses. Our doctor will give you exact instructions, but typically you will need to stop wearing contact lenses for a week before the surgery.
- Keep your eyes moist in the days and weeks prior to surgery. This may require the use of artificial tears.
- Plan ahead to have a friend or family member bring you to your procedure and drive you back home, as your vision will be blurry after surgery and you will not be able to drive.
- Bring your identification with you on the day of the procedure and be prepared to sign any final consent forms or fill out any remaining paperwork.
To make sure that you are comfortable on the day of surgery, you should dress in loose fitting clothes and make sure that you have had a light meal. To avoid any interference with our laser, you will not be able to wear any jewelry on the day of your LASIK. You should also refrain from wearing make-up, perfume or cologne, and lotion. There will be prescriptions that need to be filled to be used during your recovery time. Try to get these prescriptions filled before your surgery so that you can return home immediately following your procedure. We will give you goggles to be worn following surgery, but if you’d like to, bring a pair of sunglasses to wear afterwards.
Recovery
Another important step of preparation is being informed on the surgical procedure and what to expect from recovery. Even when all of the pre-operative instructions are followed, there will be side effects following the LASIK procedure. Some of these side effects include blurred vision, dry eyes, and mild discomfort.
