When considering eye surgery, the prospect of no longer needing contacts or glasses is an exciting thing. Eye surgery has the potential to let you, quite literally, see the world in a whole new light. Eye operations have been very successful, but to prolong its results, it is important to diligently care for your eyes for the rest of your life. Below are a few suggestions for how you can best take care of your eyes after surgery.
Avoid Damaging Your eyes
One of the most important things you can do post-op is follow the directions of your doctor to the letter. Your doctor will recommend activities you can and can’t do after surgery. For example, the first couple weeks after surgery, the patient should not rub their eyes. Even if a particle gets stuck, instead of rubbing, try flushing it out with artificial tears. It is also recommended that a patient avoids strenuous activity for a while post-surgery to limit veins in the eyes from bulging and causing further harm.
Use Medication to Reduce Side Effects
Following surgery, it is natural for your eyes to feel irritated and inflamed. Some drugs can help prevent inflammation in the time following the surgery. Talk to your doctor who can prescribe medication to help reduce your side effects. When prescribed medication, be diligent with following the directions because they will help you recover faster and more completely.
Take Measures to Protect Your Eyes
Even following the recovery process, it is important to be diligent with wearing protective eyewear. Anytime you are outside, you should wear sunglasses which will help protect you from the sun’s UV rays. Even on cloudy days, the sun can still penetrate which can lead to macular deterioration.
Additionally, you should consider wearing blue light glasses when in front of a screen. The high energy visible (HEV) light that is omitted from technology can take a toll on the health of your eyes. Wearing the proper eye protection will help you maintain clear vision long after your surgery.
Eye surgery is an expensive operation, it is an investment to the improvement of your overall health. Do not let poor maintenance after surgery affect you for the rest of your life. Follow the instructions provided by your doctor, take the appropriate medication, and commit to protecting your eyes so you can continue to have clear vision for the long-term.
Read this next: Why Constant Migraines Shouldn’t Be Ignored