LASIK & Refractive Surgery Co-Management

Post-Operative Care

After surgery, you will be scheduled for post-op care at your optometrist’s office, often the day after surgery, then a week after, followed by a month afterwards. Some people are monitored for up to a year after surgery, depending on their experience and results. These appointments include:

• Eye exams to check vision
• Monitoring of the healing process
• Review of patient medication 
• Diagnosis and treatment of any complications
• Evaluation of further necessary vision improvement such as reading glasses or laser enhancement procedures

The Role of the Optometrist for Co-Management

The actual refractive surgery will be performed by the surgeon who is an ophthalmologist that specializes in refractive surgery. However, going through LASIK or refractive surgery requires more steps than just the operation itself. Your optometrist will be with you before and after surgery to help with the decision making process, the preparation prior to surgery and the post-op healing process.

The role of your optometrist in this process includes:

• Providing information and guidance to patients debating if to go through refractive surgery
• Evaluating if a patient is a proper candidate for the operation
• Performing comprehensive eye exams to establish if the patient qualifies for surgery and to provide the surgeon with necessary information prior to surgery
• Monitoring patients throughout the process and answering their questions
• Providing glasses or contact lenses if needed (such as in between surgeries of each eye)
• Continuing to monitor the patient post-op and continuously afterwards, as even patients who no longer depend on glasses or contact lenses still need eye exams and eyecare, including during the ageing process