LASIK surgery may happen in a single procedure, but the care surrounding it starts earlier and continues through recovery. A LASIK consultation helps determine whether refractive surgery may suit your eyes, while follow-up exams give our eye doctor a chance to check how your vision and eye health are progressing afterward.
At McCormack Optometric Centre, our eye doctors provide medical eye care that includes pre-operative and post-operative care for refractive procedures such as LASIK. For patients in Edmonton, this means having a familiar local eye care team involved before surgery and during follow-up care.
What Is LASIK Co-Management?
LASIK co-management connects your local eye doctor with the surgical provider performing your procedure. Each provider has a different role, but both contribute to the same care plan.
Our eye doctor can assess your vision and eye health before surgery, discuss whether a referral for refractive surgery makes sense, and provide pre-operative care. After the procedure, post-LASIK eye exams allow our team to follow your recovery and communicate with your surgical provider when needed.
This coordinated approach also gives you a familiar place to bring questions as your vision changes during recovery.
What Happens Before LASIK Surgery?
Good LASIK care begins before surgery day. Your eyes need a thorough assessment so your care team has a clear picture of your prescription, eye health, and visual needs.
Start With a LASIK Consultation
A LASIK consultation gives our eye doctor an opportunity to discuss your interest in refractive surgery and assess factors that may affect your next steps.
A comprehensive eye exam can provide useful information about your current prescription and overall eye health. Our eye doctor can also discuss your visual goals and any concerns you have about refractive surgery.
Review Your Eye Health
Clear vision involves more than a glasses or contact lens prescription. The health of the cornea and other eye structures also matters when considering a refractive procedure.
For example, dry eye can cause irritation, fluctuating vision, burning, or watering. Since McCormack Optometric Centre provides dry eye assessment and treatment, our eye doctor can identify ocular surface concerns and discuss appropriate care when needed before moving forward.
Discuss Your Referral and Next Steps
If refractive surgery appears appropriate based on your examination, the next stage involves connecting with a surgical provider for further assessment and surgical planning.
Our role in LASIK co-management continues alongside that process. Pre-operative information creates a useful baseline for comparison after surgery, while coordinated communication helps keep each stage of care connected.
What Happens After LASIK Surgery?
Your LASIK procedure marks the start of recovery. Follow-up appointments allow your care team to see how your eyes heal and how your vision settles after surgery.
Your surgical provider will give you specific recovery instructions and an appointment schedule based on your procedure. Following that plan helps keep your surgical and local eye care teams informed throughout recovery.
Check How Your Eyes Are Healing
During a post-LASIK eye exam, our eye doctor can assess your vision and eye health as your eyes recover. These visits also give you time to discuss changes you have noticed since surgery.
Your follow-up care may include:
- Checking your visual acuity
- Reviewing changes in your vision
- Examining the surface of your eyes
- Discussing comfort or dryness
- Reviewing your recovery instructions
- Coordinating with your surgical provider when appropriate
Your recovery experience is individual, so follow-up recommendations can vary. Our eye doctor can explain what we see during your exam and what the next stage of your care may involve.
Talk About Dry Eye After LASIK
Dryness can be a concern during LASIK recovery. Symptoms may include burning, irritation, watering, or vision that fluctuates throughout the day.
If dryness becomes part of your recovery, our eye doctor can assess your ocular surface and recommend care based on what we see. Having access to dry eye care at the same practice that provides your LASIK follow-up can help keep these conversations connected.
Keep Your Follow-Up Appointments
Feeling comfortable after LASIK can make it tempting to think of surgery as the finish line. Your follow-up appointments still serve an important purpose.
A post-LASIK eye exam gives our eye doctor a chance to assess your recovery, answer questions, and identify changes that need attention. Sticking to the follow-up schedule your care team recommends keeps your recovery on track.
Why Eye Exams Still Matter After LASIK
LASIK changes how light focuses inside the eye, reducing the need for glasses or contact lenses for many patients. Your eyes, however, continue to change throughout life.
Regular eye exams remain valuable after refractive surgery because your eye doctor looks beyond your prescription. Comprehensive exams can assess your overall eye health and screen for conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Age-related changes can also affect your vision years after LASIK. Routine eye exams give our team a chance to track those changes and discuss your options as your visual needs evolve.
Stay Connected to Eye Care Before and After LASIK
LASIK can feel like one major decision, but good surgical care is made up of several smaller steps. A careful assessment before surgery, communication between providers, and follow-up exams afterward help connect those steps.
At McCormack Optometric Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, our eye doctors provide local pre-operative and post-operative care for patients considering refractive surgery. Book an appointment with our eye care team to discuss LASIK co-management and your next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is LASIK Co-Management?
- LASIK co-management is coordinated care between your local eye doctor and the surgical provider performing LASIK. It can include eye health assessments before surgery and follow-up exams during recovery.
What Happens During a LASIK Consultation?
- A LASIK consultation can include a review of your vision, prescription, eye health, and visual goals. Our eye doctor can assess your eyes and discuss whether referral to a refractive surgeon may be an appropriate next step.
Why Do I Need a Post-LASIK Eye Exam?
- A post-LASIK eye exam allows our eye doctor to check your vision and eye health during recovery. These appointments also give you an opportunity to discuss symptoms, comfort, or changes in your vision.
Do I Still Need Eye Exams After LASIK?
- Yes. LASIK changes your vision correction needs, while routine eye exams continue to play an important role in monitoring your overall eye health as you age.