Reviewed by Physician Brandon Yew and Dr Jessica Gunawan on November 2, 2022

Tips To Help You Prepare And Recover From LASIK Eye Surgery

Published March 7, 2023| 7 min read

When you're finally ready to undergo LASIK eye surgery, read this guide to learn what you need to know before, during, and after the procedure.

LASIK eye surgery is one of the most popular elective procedures in the United States. Since it was first approved by the FDA in 1999, approximately 10 million Americans have had it. The satisfaction rates are remarkably high.

During the procedure, your eye doctor will use a laser to change the shape of your cornea. This helps improve the way your retina focuses on light rays. It’s often used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Despite its popularity and success rate, there are things you should know before, during, and after LASIK eye surgery to help you make the most of it. In this guide, we’ll explain the important steps you should take to best support your vision.

What To Do Before LASIK Eye Surgery

Take out your contacts approximately three days before LASIK eye surgery.

Allow an ophthalmologist to perform a baseline evaluation of your eyes. It’ll establish if you’re a suitable candidate for the procedure.

To ensure that it goes smoothly, stop wearing contact lenses for three days if you’re wearing soft lenses and two weeks for hard lenses. Instead, opt for glasses.

Contact lenses change the shape of your cornea. This can interfere with the measurement process, which helps determine the amount of corneal tissue to remove.

If you’re wearing hard or rigid gas-permeable lenses, the process will be repeated a week after the evaluation and before the surgery. In addition, not using contact lenses can prevent an infection.

An ophthalmologist may also require you to scrub your eyelashes to remove debris and residue. You will have to avoid facial care products.

Hydration plays an important role in the normal functioning of every cell, tissue, and organ in the body so stay hydrated.

LASIK eye surgery can potentially cause dry eyes. Drinking enough water will lubricate the organs and promote healing.

What To Expect During LASIK Eye Surgery

Lean back into the reclining chair. Let the ophthalmologist drop a numbing agent in your eye before cleaning its surrounding area. The eyelid will be kept open with a lid speculum.

A mechanical microkeratome – a disposable blade device – attached to a suction ring cuts a flap in the cornea. The ophthalmologist will place this device directly on your eye. Pressure will be applied, dimming your vision and causing minor discomfort.

Laser keratomes can also have the same effect. First, a translucent plastic plate flattens the cornea. Next, laser energy is used to create thousands of gas and water bubbles inside the cornea tissue. These bubbles will expand and connect to separate tissues under the surface, creating a flap. The plastic plate is removed.

Treatment will begin when your eye is in the correct position. Information from the evaluation will be input into a computer that regulates the laser energy required to vaporize tissues.

Once the corneal tissue vaporizes, the ophthalmologist will reattach the flap. A shield will be placed over the eye to protect it from accidental poking, rubbing, or being put under pressure when you sleep.

How To Recover From LASIK Eye Surgery

Your doctor may prescribe eye drops to help you recover.

Immediately after the procedure, your eye will likely hurt, itch, burn, or feel as if there’s a tiny object wedged in it. You’ll also have blurry vision, experience a sensitivity toward light, and see a glare, starbursts, or haloes around lights. These symptoms will improve in a few days.

The ophthalmologist will remove the shield, examine your eye, and test your vision quality during the first post-procedure visit. Different eye drops will be given to lower the risk of infection and inflammation. Artificial tears may be prescribed to keep your eyes lubricated.

Rest and relax

Wait a minimum of three days before beginning any type of non-contact sports. Contact sports like football, basketball, karate, or soccer shouldn’t be attempted until a month after surgery.

To keep infections away, refrain from using facial care products two weeks after surgery or unless the ophthalmologist gives you the go-ahead.

Use TCM to regulate your body constitution

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help you recover holistically from LASIK eye surgery through acupuncture and the consumption of herbal formulas. Addressing the imbalances that stem from LASIK surgery is the primary function of traditional formulas.

“Qi Ju Di Huang in pill or liquid form can improve vision by alleviating post-procedure Heat and nourishing the Kidney and Liver organ systems. Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, Tong Qiao Huo Xue Tang, and Xiong Zhi Shi Gao Tang encourage blood and qi (vital life force) circulation to the eyes. It does this by eliminating surgery-induced pathogens like blood clots, Dampness, inflammatory Heat, and Qi Stagnation.”

Senior TCM Physician Brandon Yew.

You can also protect your eyes and support recovery by taking a ready-made vision supplement containing Chinese herbs and antioxidants, such as carotene, wolfberry polysaccharides, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

On the face, in the depression superior to the inner canthus.

Taiyang (EX-HN5): in the area of the temples, in the depression about one-finger width between the lateral end of the eyebrow and outer canthus area.

Located on the neck, 1 finger width posterior to TE17(Yifeng), at the junction of the head and the occiput, posterior to the mastoid bone

Directly above the pupils when the eyes are looking straight ahead, 1 finger width superior to the eyebrow.

Fengchi (GB20): in the depression created between the Sternocleidomastoid and Trapezius muscles, at the connection of the occipital and nuchal areas.

Directly below the pupil between the eyeball and the infraorbital ridge.

Directly below the pupil in a depression at the infraorbital foramen.

Applying pressure to localized and distal points can offer mild symptomatic relief. Localized acupuncture involves the needling of points, such as:

Jing ming (BL1)

Tai Yang (EX-HN5)
Yi Ming (EX-HN14)
Yang Bai (GB14)
Feng Chi (GB20)
Cheng Qi (ST1)
Si Bai (ST2)

Located in the depression between the tip of the lateral malleolus and Achilles tendon.

On the dorsal side of the thumb, in the center of the skin crease between the distal and middle phalanges.

On the dorsal side of the 5th finger, in the center of the joint between the distal and middle phalanges.

Located 5 finger widths directly above the tip of the lateral malleolus, on the anterior border of the fibula

In depression midway between the tip of the medial malleolus and the attachment of the Achilles tendon, level with the tip of the medial malleolus.

You can find this on the back of the hand, between the thumb and index finger bones.

On the dorsum of the foot between the 1st and 2nd toe, 0.5 cun proximal to the web margin at the junction of the red and white skin.

With the palm facing the chest, this point is on the dorsal aspect of the head of the ulna, in the bony cleft on the radial side of the styloid process of the ulna.

Located at the groove between the knuckles of the ring and pinky finger.

On the inner lower leg, 4-fingers-breadth above the tip of the inner ankle bone, just behind the shin bone.

Distal acupuncture refers to placing needles away from an area of pain or discomfort. A few of the points that can be worked on are:

Kun Lun (BL60)

Da Gu Kong (EX-UE14)
Xiao Gu Kong (EX-UE15)
Guang Ming (GB37)
Tai Xi (KI3)
He Gu (LI4)

Xing Jian (LR2)
Yang Lao (SI6)
Zhong Zhu (SJ3)
San Yin Jiao (SP6)

Recovery From LASIK Eye Surgery Takes Time

It may take up to six months for your vision to stabilize after a LASIK eye surgery. Seeing glare, haloes, and other symptoms may persist throughout this period.

Use herbal formulas prescribed by, or undergo treatments performed by licensed TCM practitioners. Avoid self-medicating, as it can worsen symptoms or increase the risk of complications.