How can I keep my eye power constant after LASIK surgery?

Recent years have seen a lot of advancements in the medical field. For most of the medical problems for which treatments a few decades ago seemed almost impossible, you can now get treated. This also includes the treatment of myopia, hypermetropia, and astigmatism. The most well-known surgery to treat such conditions is LASIK – laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It is a type of laser eye surgery that corrects your eyesight by reshaping your cornea, after which you do not need to wear spectacles or lenses.

LASIK can be done as many times as you want in your life if you are eligible to get it every time. Most people can get it done only twice. But that’s another story. If you recently underwent this surgery successfully and are wondering if and how you can maintain perfect eyesight for a long time, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will be looking at those ifs and hows and some of the precautions and follow-ups you need to follow to maintain constant eye power after LASIK surgery for the longest time.

Can We Maintain Constant Eye Power After LASIK?

Before going on to the actual topic, you need to know whether having constant eye power after LASIK is possible or not. And if yes, then for how long?

LASIK is a very well-known form of eye surgery. The majority of people experience the surgery’s effects permanently for the rest of their lives. In other words, they maintain 20/20 vision, and their eyes’ power does not decline once more. Even though it might lessen a little, it might not be enough to warrant wearing glasses or having the surgery again. This might not be the case, though, for some people. Some patients who have undergone this surgery have noticed a decline in the strength of their eyes after a few years and repeatedly after additional surgeries. A minimal number of people for whom the surgery did not go fully well also experience fluctuating eye power. Therefore, it is crucial that you only have surgery after receiving the appropriate advice from qualified surgeons and confirming that you are entirely eligible to have surgery.

There are several reasons why this might be the case, including improper post-operative care. Following surgery, you must take the proper precautions, which include not rubbing your eyes, shielding them from any dust particles, using the recommended eye drops, etc. In addition, you run a high risk of your eye power declining again if you already have very poor eyesight.

Your eye power may decline once more if you put your eyes through excessive strain, such as by spending too much time in front of a screen or being vitamin A deficient. Additionally, having diabetes, a cataract, or any other eye disease may also have an impact. Adults frequently experience this issue repeatedly due to ageing, but that is normal. A natural occurrence cannot be stopped by anything artificial. This is usually the case for adults in their 40s.

Maintaining Constant Eye Power

Maintaing a constant eye power is not impossible even if you do not lead an active lifestyle. If you adhere to the recommended post-operative instructions that your surgeons advised you about, you can maintain constant eye power. Following surgery, your surgeon may advise you to follow a number of instructions, such as –

Avoid letting dust, pollen, or other airborne debris get into your eyes. Avoid harmful contaminants by protecting your eyes.
Keep your time spent staring at screens on computers to a minimum. It would be ideal if you could avoid it altogether.
On the first day, don’t take off the safety eye shield.
Avoid rubbing your eyes, particularly with unclean hands, as by doing so, you risk damaging your eye and infecting yourself if you move your corneal flap.
Avoid using tap water to wash your eyes because it is not sterile.
For three weeks, avoid going swimming.
After surgery, avoid exercise for a week.
For one month following surgery, avoid wearing makeup on your eyes.

These are the precautions that you must take immediately. After three months (the minimum period for your eyes to recover after LASIK surgery), once your eyes have constant power, you can return to your regular routine, but only after exercising some caution, which includes:

Use only as many screens as necessary. Please keep it in check.
Don’t let prolonged eye strain affect your vision.
Wash your hair with extreme caution, being careful not to get soap or water in your eyes.
When you resume wearing it, gently wipe away your makeup in a downward motion. Throw away any partially used products because they could spread infection.
While working out, swimming, or at any other typical time, keep your eyes covered for as long as you can.
Use the artificial tears and eye drops that were prescribed for you frequently.
Too much brightness may cause your eyes to react in the wrong way.
Do not rub your eyes unnecessarily for a long time, as it may damage your cornea again.

Conclusion

Not having constant eye power after LASIK surgery is normal, especially if you are over 40. A lot of times, there is a very slight decrement in the eye power. At those times, you do not need to get another surgery. But make sure you wear glasses at night while driving or while using screens.

Not everyone has an active lifestyle or can take care of their eyes all day long, so if your eyes get weak again after a few years, you don’t need to panic. Consult your doctor and, if it is feasible for you, get another surgery done, provided you are eligible for it for a second time or if there is any other alternative.