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How you prepare
By Mayo Clinic staffTo prepare for LASIK eye surgery:
- Stop wearing your contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, you'll need to switch to glasses full time for at least a few weeks before your surgery. Contact lenses can distort the shape of your cornea, which could lead to inaccurate measurements and a poor surgical outcome. Your doctor will provide specific guidelines depending on your personal circumstances and how long you've been a contact lens wearer.
- Skip the eye makeup. Don't use eye makeup or eye cream on the day before and the day of your surgery. Your doctor may also instruct you to clean your eyelashes daily or more often in the days leading up to surgery, to remove debris and minimize your risk of infection.
- Arrange for a ride home. You'll need to have someone drive you to and from your surgery. Immediately after surgery, you might still feel the affects of medicine given to you before surgery, and your vision may be blurry.
- Know what surgery may cost you. LASIK eye surgery is usually considered elective surgery — not vital to your health and well-being — so Medicare and most insurance companies won't cover the cost of the surgery. Be prepared to pay out-of-pocket for your expenses.
References
- Bower KS. Laser refractive surgery. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2011.
- Sakimoto T, et al. Laser eye surgery for refractive errors. The Lancet. 2006;367:1432.
- Mimura T, et al. Refractive surgery. In: Yanoff M, et al. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Edinburgh, U.K.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/212799885-2/0/1869/0.html. Accessed Jan. 6, 2011.
- Wavefront-guided LASIK. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://one.aao.org/CE/EducationalProducts/FPSnippet.aspx?tid=0202397v&mid=fp029030a-1&sid=fp20080006&filename=fpv26-02903-01_modulediv.xml. Accessed Jan 6, 2011.
- LASIK. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/LASIK/expect.htm. Accessed Jan. 6, 2011.
- Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Rochester, Minn. Jan. 16, 2011.
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