Welcome. My name is Ariana and I work as a medical assistant at an army base. My main job is to make sure that there are no hidden health risks for our seemingly fit army personnel. One of the biggest issues I uncover is eyesight problems. I have discovered that a lot of people think that there is no need to visit an optometrist unless their eyes are sore or vision is blurry. This myth can be found in the army too. In the course of my work, I have learnt that many eye problems have no symptoms for a long time. I am always encouraging family and friends to go for annual eye checks. I have become so passionate about this issue that I started this blog to explain how optometrists can help you keep the best vision possible. Please scan through my entries. Enjoy.
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Understanding The Symptoms And Treatment Approach For Cataracts 22 February 2023
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Why Does an Optometrist Blow Air into Your Eyes? 11 April 2022
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5 Signs Your Child May Need Cataract Surgery 7 June 2021
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Laser Eye Surgery Preparation Tips 28 October 2020
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3 Steps To Help Your Loved One Through Cataract Surgery 17 October 2019
Eye On The Target: How Optometrists Help Your Eye Health
Laser Eye Surgery Preparation Tips
Akseli Takala
Early intervention to eye problems prevents severe repercussions such as partial or total blindness. In some instances, surgery is the only corrective measure to save a patient's eyes. Thanks to laser technology, patients do not have to go through the traditional, invasive eye surgery procedures. However, some patients still find eye surgery a bit nerve-wracking. Nonetheless, it does not have to be the case since doctors do their best to prepare patients with adequate information about the procedure. This article highlights preparation tips that put patients at ease before laser eye surgery.
Replace Contacts with Glasses
Advancements in eye care have seen most people shift from wearing glasses to using contact lenses. Since contact lenses are less cumbersome and come in a variety of colours, their popularity has increased steadily. However, prolonged usage of contact lenses alters the cornea's shape, increasing the chances of inaccurate measurements before surgery, leading to ineffective results. For this reason, it is advisable to shift from contact lenses to glasses about three weeks before a laser surgery for rigid contact lenses, and at least seven days for the soft type. It gives the cornea enough time to return to its natural shape, increasing the chances of getting accurate measurements.
No Makeup
Eye makeup such as mascara and long artificial eyelashes are popular. In fact, some people claim that their makeup is a confident booster and find it difficult to leave home without any. However, you have to gather the courage to walk into a hospital without any makeup before laser surgery. The reason is that any debris from makeup exposes your eye to all manner of infections during surgery. Although you can wear makeup and wash it off right before the procedure, there is no guarantee that you will remove every bit of it. The only way to guarantee a clean eye pre-laser eye surgery is to avoid wearing any makeup altogether.
Arrange for a Driver
Although laser eye surgery is non-invasive, patients are still prohibited from engaging in certain activities, such as driving. Optical surgeons advise patients against driving because of the post-surgery sedative and the need to put less strain on the affected eye. Therefore, ensure that you have a driver on standby before you walk into a surgeon's office. The driver will drive you back home or any other place until a surgeon deems it safe for you to drive. The designated driver could be your partner, friend, family member, or a taxi operator.
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