What to Know Before Your LASIK Consultation

Wearing glasses or contacts can be just another part of life or even a fun fashion statement for some. For others, they can feel like a nuisance. If you fall under the latter category, you may have considered LASIK eye surgery to reduce your reliance on eyeglasses. Here’s everything you need to know before your LASIK consultation:

During your LASIK consultation

If you wear contact lenses, you will need to stop wearing your contacts before your evaluation and procedure. Our team will let you know how long you should be contact free when you book your appointment.

At your initial consultation, one of the most important things you can discuss with Dr. Beran or Dr. Weber is your vision goals. What are your current vision concerns? What would you like the final result to look like? Your surgeon can walk you through options for achieving your ideal vision and provide realistic expectations for the procedure.

Another step during your consultation is assessing your eligibility for LASIK. Our experts will ask questions about your health history to ensure that you don’t have any conditions incompatible with the procedure. You should have a stable lens prescription, meaning that it hasn’t changed much over the course of a year, and your refractive error should be one that LASIK can correct. We will also examine your eyes to ensure they meet specific standards, such as general eye health, pupil size, and cornea thickness. Not every eye is compatible with LASIK. However, you may be a candidate for an alternative procedure like AST or ICL to improve your vision.

Preparing for your LASIK procedure

If you are a good candidate for LASIK and choose to undergo this life-changing treatment, here are a few things to know before the procedure:

• Avoid alcohol and tobacco: Abstaining from drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco or other nicotine products is essential before any surgery—even an outpatient one like LASIK. Avoid anything that may impair your vision, slow healing, or irritate your eyes.
• Don’t wear your contacts: Wearing contacts can distort your cornea, impacting your LASIK results. Stick to glasses in the time leading up to your surgery date!
• Don’t wear eye makeup: You’ll need to avoid applying any cosmetics, creams, or lotions to the eye area at least one day before your surgery. A foreign substance on or around the eye, like mascara flakes or lotion residue, could increase your risk of infection.
• Arrive early to your appointment: The last thing you’ll want to do is cause yourself undue stress. You’ll have time to relax and complete any necessary paperwork by arriving early.
• Arrange transportation: Make sure you have a ride home before your LASIK appointment. You won’t be able to drive yourself after eye surgery, so planning to get yourself home safely is essential.

It may seem like a lot to remember, but these steps, requirements, and restrictions ensure the best possible result. Who doesn’t want that?! If you are ready to learn more about your eligibility for LASIK, call 614.939.1600 to schedule an appointment at Columbus Laser & Cataract Center. We’re excited to help guide you toward clear, healthy vision!