Questions about LASIK & PRK

• Can I have both eyes treated at the same time?
  Yes. Many patients prefer to minimize the time off work and reduce the amount of healing time they experience after surgery, so they have both eyes done during the same visit.
• Can I drive myself home after surgery?
  No. Your vision may be blurry in the first few hours after the procedure. Many people are able to drive the next day.
• Will I have to limit my activities after surgery?
  You will be told to avoid hard activity or visually demanding tasks for at least 1-2 days after LASIK and 3 days after PRK. Make sure to ask about specific activities that are important to you.
• Can I play sports right after the procedure?
  No. Certain hard activities, contact sports and swimming should be postponed for several weeks.
• How soon can I use eye make-up?
  It is recommended that you avoid using eye make-up for the first week after surgery to reduce the risk of infection.
• Can I get water in my eyes?
  No. You should avoid getting water in your eyes for about one week after surgery, so be careful when washing your face and hair.
• What are enhancements (touch-ups)?
  Your vision after surgery either will be perfect, or under- or over- corrected. This can be fixed with a minor procedure called an enhancement or touch-up. This procedure typically is performed approximately three months after the initial surgery if visual improvement has not been attained. These enhancements are only necessary in about 10 percent of all cases.
• What are the most common complications?
  The most common is either over-correction or under-correction, both of which can be treated. Individual variation is part of any surgical procedure. While everyone hopes for perfect vision, perfection is not always the result. Your expectation should be the reduced dependence on glasses and contact lenses, realizing that they may still be needed for some activities. Dry eyes are also common in the early period after the surgery.
• What about the bad complications?                      
• Sight-threatening complications are very rare. There is always a small risk of infection, scarring, or abnormal healing patterns. This may cause partial loss of vision and require further medical or surgical treatment.

Will my vision be stable?
Although vision may fluctuate slightly during the first few days and also shift slowly for 6 to 12 months, most of the healing is complete within 3 to 6 months. With nearly a decade of experience with PRK, we know that the procedure is stable, with no evidence of late complications. LASIK has been available for about 20 years and, from the data collected over this period, also appears stable.

• Is it possible that my vision could become worse than before? Could my vision gradually decrease?
  There is a very slight chance that your vision could become worse. Results thus far, however, have shown excellent stability after PRK and LASIK.
• Will I be able to wear contact lenses if I still need them after PRK or LASIK?
  Yes. In most cases, PRK and LASIK do not interfere with the use of soft contact lenses. Hard contact lenses can sometimes be used but may be more difficult to fit the eye.
• Will I need to use eye drops?
  Depending on your specific procedure, eye drops may be needed for anywhere from three days to six months, but not permanently.
• How is PRK or LASIK likely to affect my need to use glasses or contacts when I get older?
  By middle age, all people need help reading. If your nearsightedness is permanently eliminated by PRK or LASIK, you may need to start using reading glasses in your forties.

• In our clinic (Amman Eye Clinic), we are proud of our large experience in performing all types of vision correction surgeries, and their excellent long-term results.
• If you have more questions regarding getting rid of your glasses, please do not hesitate to call (Amman Eye Clinic) for further information.