LASIK has a well-deserved reputation as one of the miracles of modern medicine. You go in wearing glasses and you come out seeing clearly with the Vision Source Westview. LASIK has a remarkably quick recovery time, with many patients seeing 20/20 on the day of their procedure but you do need to allow a couple of weeks for the corneal flap to heal before resuming contact sports. SMILE may not give you 20/20 on the day of surgery, but you can usually see well within a few days of your procedure and the best bit is that you can resume all activities after just 5 days. If your surgeon doesn’t offer bladeless LASIK and SMILE, look for one who does. PRK (or ASLA) will give the same eventual outcome but you really do need to allow a couple of weeks of downtime before vision is restored so this is not the procedure of choice for busy people.

Our experience has been that even the busiest people can take one day off work, especially for something as potentially life-changing as laser eye surgery. Having your procedure on a Friday usually means having your post-operative check-up later the same day. Once your surgeon has seen you and is happy with how the surgery went, you can go.

All laser eye surgery requires follow up to ensure everything is healing and progressing as it should. Unless you live or work in the same suburb as your surgeon’s practice, it may make a lot more sense to have your routine aftercare appointments with your family optometrist. Many surgeons (ourselves included) reduce procedure fees to allow for external routine follow up locally. It is important that your surgeon liaise with your elected optometrist and that your optometrist provide feedback to the surgeon on your progress. At our practice, this is something we do a lot and we have established protocols with co-managing optometrists.

If you are short on time and not even sure if you are suitable for a laser vision correction procedure, it may make more sense to come in for a suitability assessment first, to see if it is worthwhile proceeding to a full initial consultation with the surgeon. A suitability assessment is usually free of charge. It often involves a number of diagnostic tests and a conversation with a trained eye care professional (orthoptist or optometrist) who works closely with the surgeon and can liaise with them on which procedure, if any, may suit you best. Once you know you are definitely suitable, it makes more sense to plan your procedure and any associated downtime, including leaving contact lenses out for the required period.

Although LASIK has a remarkably quick recovery, it is associated with short-term dryness of the eyes. This manifests itself in inconsistent vision (rather than actually feeling dry) and can be worse in air-conditioned environments, especially if you are looking a digital screens a lot. Liberal use of artificial tears in the early weeks after LASIK can make your vision more consistent. You will be supplied with artificial tears but if you work in a busy office environment, don’t be afraid to ask for more.

Sometimes, travelling interstate to see a particular surgeon can make good sense. This may be because you have a complex ocular history or, it may be because you are very discerning and want the best eye surgeon you can afford. Either way, unless you are combining your trip with other events or you have family in town, it makes sense to minimise the time away from home. Ask staff how many nights you will need to stay. This varies depending on what procedure you are having. If you are having corneal surgery such as LASIK, SMILE or PRK, one night is the minimum but often 2 nights is recommended, depending on the surgeon’s schedules and if they acquire enough information about your eyes at your initial consultation. Lens procedures such as laser lens surgery and cataract require a minimum of two nights (for two eyes) but often 3 nights. You must also allow for the possibility that the surgeon may send you home without surgery. The risk of this happening can often avoided by making sure there is good communication with your local referring optometrist.

With all these tips on board, laser eye surgery shouldn’t interfere with even the busiest lifestyle.

Contact Vision Source Westview to schedule an appointment or to request additional information about our services.