Getting LASIK surgery may be the best decision you make this year. You could be enjoying all the benefits of seeing— without being held back by your glasses or contacts! Imagine waking up every morning knowing that you will be seeing every detail with unclouded vision and avoiding the struggle of having to find your glasses or going through the annoying ritual of putting contacts into your eyes. Sounds great, right?  

One thing you have to think about seriously when considering whether or not to get LASIK is the recovery. While recovering from LASIK is quite simple and has very little chance of going wrong, you will still be responsible to keep several things in check. Here are some common mistakes that you should try to avoid while recovering from LASIK.

Rubbing Your Eyes

After the LASIK procedure, you will have a strong temptation to rub your eyes. Red and itchy eyes are a very typical symptom from undergoing LASIK, but it is absolutely imperative that you resist this impulse.

During LASIK surgery, a flap is created in your cornea so that the surgeon can remove a minuscule amount of tissue. Removing this tissue is what reshapes your cornea, causing it to refract light correctly into your eye, thus correcting your sight. However, during the first few weeks after LASIK, this flap will still be healing. It will be very fragile and prone to tearing during this period. Needless to say, this is something that you don’t want to happen, as it would be quite painful and ruin the results of your surgery, even going so far as damaging your vision.

Not Properly Protecting Your Eyes

The flap in your cornea is not the only thing that will be extra sensitive during your recovery. As a whole, your eyes will be more susceptible to infection and other damaging elements. This means you should avoid:

• Going outside without sunglasses that have 100% UVA and UVB protection. While this is always a good idea, as the sun’s direct light can wreak havoc on your eyesight, recovering eyes are even more sensitive after LASIK.
• Forgetting to wear your eyeshield while you sleep. You cannot predict how you will move while you sleep, so you will be given an eyeshield to protect your eyes. While you may or may not find the shield uncomfortable, wearing it for a short time is a far better alternative to complications with your flap.
• Getting water in your eyes. Even shower water can carry a multitude of infectious particles. Do your best to keep your eyes away from the water, and close your eyes when it’s possible.

Skipping Post-LASIK Appointments

You will be asked to come back to our office in Bangor, ME within 48 hours of the operation so that your immediate progress can be tracked. It is very important to come to this checkup, as well as any others scheduled so that your eyes can be monitored. Making adjustments or catching any problems is far better to do early on than after damage has already occurred.

Get started on a journey towards better vision today by setting up a consultation with Vision Care of Maine at one of our 8 locations!