Lasik Surgery Side Effects - Common Risks and Complication

Before LASIK eye surgery, it is important to take certain precautions and follow specific care instructions to ensure the best possible outcome. Here are some things you can do to prepare for LASIK surgery:

1. Drink more water before the surgery so that you are hydrated during the procedure.
2. Take a good night’s rest a day before the surgery.
3. Be mentally and physically prepared for the surgery.
4. Avoid wearing makeup, perfume or fragrance or anything that might hinder the LASIK surgery.
5. Don’t drink coffee or anything else that might make you restless during the surgery.
6. Avoid wearing contact lenses a day before the surgery.
7. Avoid smoking and consuming alcohol in the days leading up to your surgery, as these substances can affect the healing process.

Besides, one must also be mindful of the following:

1. Check that you have reported your medical history correctly to your doctor so that there are no complications during and after the surgery.
2. Get all your doubts resolved by your doctor so that you will have clarity regarding the surgical procedure.
3. Get your topography tests done, so that you and the doctor clearly understand that you are healthy enough for the operation.
4. Arrange for your transportation to and from the hospital as you won’t be able to drive yourself after surgery.
5. Get dust blockers or humidifiers for your home so that no foreign particle enters your eye post-surgery. Otherwise, you stand the risk of infection.

During LASIK eye surgery, you will be awake and conscious, but your eye will be numbed with drops, so you won't feel any pain. The LASIK procedure typically takes only a few minutes per eye, and during that time, you will need to follow some important care instructions:

1. Avoid rubbing or touching your eyes during the surgery.
2. Stay extremely still during the eye surgery. A small movement could result in damaging your eyes.
3. Make sure you report any discomfort you are facing during the surgery to your doctor.

LASIK post-surgery side effects are fairly common, and some of them are temporary and short-term. These side effects might take days or a week at the most to wane off. However, others are fairly long-term. Some of these long-term effects can last for three to six months. 

The short-term side effects are as follows:

1. Glare: For patients recuperating from LASIK eye surgery, they have a problem looking at a bright light source and brightly coloured objects that seem to have extra shine. 
2. Halos: Patients can see a halo around an object, i.e. a bright circle of light surrounding a light source and other bright objects.
3. Double vision: Diplopia or double vision is a common symptom reported by many patients post-surgery. The text or image you see appears to be double and overlapping.

Some of the long-term side effects of LASIK surgery are: 

1. Double vision/ghosting: This appears because of the edema in the eyes. It disappears as soon as the swelling starts to recede.
2. Sensitivity to light: You see halos and starbursts, when the light falls on your eyes. As a result, you have to shut your eyes instantly.
3. Halos: Although it is a short-term side effect, sometimes it goes beyond the one- or two-week healing period. You see a circle of light when you look at a light source or a shining object.
4. Starbursts: You will see an extraordinary glare around an object emitting light. The same can happen when you see shining objects.

To reduce these side effects, you need to follow the instructions given by your LASIK surgeon and eye specialist. You also need to bear certain precautions in mind. 

To minimise the detrimental side effects and make a distress-free recovery post-surgery, you need to take the following precautions:

Do's

1. Take rest for 5 to 6 hours after the surgery.
2. Eat healthy because you need to heal. Make sure you have a balanced diet and cut down on strong tasting foods.
3. Take medication and prescribed eye drops post-surgery on time. 

Don’ts

1. Avoid bright sunlight and any other form of bright light for a few days, say for a week.
2. You need to stay away from non-sterile water for a few days. Avoid applying soap, shampoos or any other substance to your hair, face or anything close to your eyes. These could cause irritation or a burning sensation in the eyes. 
3. Avoid rubbing your eyes and wear eye shields or sunglasses.

To reduce the side effects of LASIK surgery, you need to bear all the precautions in mind. Plus, here are some more protective measures:

1. You need to stay in dust-free areas as much as possible. You need to be extra careful about it.
2. Make sure you sleep before the pain kicks in. This is a great pain reliever.
3. Start hydrating your body a day or two before the surgery. Moreover, get yourself checked from the doctor to assess whether you could suffer from dry eye syndrome or not.
4. Perform some exercises like yoga or meditation to be in a positive state of mind and overcome all the sensations of irritation and itching. You have to control the urge to rub your eyes.

In case there are other issues post LASIK eye surgery, you need to contact your doctor right away.

You should see a doctor a day after the surgery. He/she will see if you are healing well or if there is any issue because of the side effects. After that, you need to visit the doctor at regular intervals. However, if you feel any discomfort in the eye that does not subside within a small duration, then you should contact the doctor immediately.  

Before you opt for LASIK eye surgery, you should have clarity about the recovery time and what all you might have to experience in the post-surgery period. Having said that, do keep in mind that LASIK surgery side effects are there, but it is not something that you should worry about too much because modern medical science is advanced to ensure that you have a good post-op recovery.

If you need more information or have any queries, then the experts of HexaHealth are here to help you. You can contact them to get all the clarification you need and any assistance that you need with scheduling doctor appointments and surgery.