What precautions should be taken after myopia surgery?
Jun 29, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Chen You
Introduction
First, on the day of surgery, patients may experience discomfort such as tearing, photophobia, and a foreign-body sensation following anesthesia. This discomfort typically lasts approximately 3–5 hours. During this period, patients should keep their eyes closed as much as possible and rest. On the first day after myopia surgery, unaided visual acuity generally improves significantly. Follow-up examinations are scheduled once each week thereafter.
In recent years, the number of myopia patients has been steadily increasing. Individuals with myopia experience significant blurriness when viewing nearby objects, causing considerable inconvenience in daily life. Consequently, many myopic patients hope their children will not inherit the condition. So, what precautions should be taken after myopia surgery?
Post-Myopia Surgery Precautions
First, on the day of surgery, patients may experience tearing, photophobia (light sensitivity), and a foreign-body sensation following anesthesia. These discomforts typically last approximately 3–5 hours. During this period, patients should keep their eyes closed as much as possible and rest. On the first postoperative day, unaided visual acuity usually improves markedly. Follow-up examinations are generally scheduled once per week thereafter. By about one month after surgery, vision tends to stabilize. Once topical eye medications are gradually discontinued, routine follow-up visits are no longer required unless otherwise advised. During the first postoperative week, avoid getting water into the eyes—exercise caution when washing hair or face, and gently wipe the face with a towel to prevent water splashing into the eyes. After one week, normal use of water for daily activities is permissible; swimming is allowed three months post-surgery. Avoid applying cosmetics around the eyes during the first week to minimize infection risk. Do not rub or scratch the eyes after surgery, as this may cause complications such as corneal flap displacement.
Myopia surgery typically takes between 10 minutes and 30 minutes. Currently, the most common clinical procedures include laser-based surgeries and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Laser surgeries primarily comprise small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond LASIK (FS-LASIK); IOL implantation involves phakic intraocular lens (PIOL) insertion. The duration varies depending on the surgical technique employed. Laser procedures utilize high-frequency lasers to precisely reshape the cornea, usually requiring only 10 minutes or slightly more. In contrast, PIOL implantation involves using ultrasonic emulsification to remove the natural lens and inserting an appropriately sized artificial lens—essentially replacing the natural lens with an intraocular lens.
We recommend that patients engage in ample outdoor physical activity and spend time viewing greenery, both of which support postoperative visual recovery. In addition to attending scheduled follow-up appointments, patients must strictly adhere to their ophthalmologist’s instructions regarding prescribed eye drops. We hope this information proves helpful.
