Dry Eyes and the Summer!
The summer is a time for cookouts, lots of water activity and sun! Many patients plan to have their LASIK or PRK procedure in the spring so that they can enjoy the summer free of glasses and contact lenses. Anyone who has experienced glasses sliding off of your nose as you are reading a book on the beach or trying to swim without glasses or contacts knows that it is a chore! LASIK & PRK free you of the hassle that you face when it comes to summer heat, water and glasses and contacts.
If you are interested in having LASIK or PRK in the summer there are a few things that you should keep in mind. See the following:
First, to help your cornea heal you will need to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from exposure to bright light which may irritate your eyes. You do not have to wear the sunglasses that we give you post LASIK or PRK. There is nothing magical about ours. Go out and enjoy getting yourself a new pair of non prescription sunglasses for the first time!
Second, You cannot swim for two weeks after your LASIK procedure and the FDA recommends no swimming for 1 month for post PRK patients to reduce the risk of infection from contaminated water.
Lastly, turn off you fans! You need to turn fans off for a short time while healing post LASIK and PRK. We know it is hot out, ceiling fans often provide white noise and a sense of comfort, however, they dry your eyes. The goal post procedure is a successful healing process. The dryer your eyes are, the more uncomfortable your healing process is. Your visual acuity fluctuates post procedure which is expected. If your eyes are dry this visual fluctuation is more apparent. We ask you to put artificial tears in frequently post procedure for the first few weeks and live with your fans off for a short time to prevent dry eyes while you initially heal. It is worth it to make a few small changes for a lifetime of better vision!
