How to Prepare for Laser Eye Surgery

The laser procedure is performed as an outpatient procedure at Lions Eye Institute and takes about 2-3 hours in total. You will have some oral sedation and analgesia and will need someone to drive you home and to bring you back again the next morning.

The laser eye surgery procedure itself takes about 20 minutes for each eye and is performed with local anaesthetic eyedrops (the same as we use in the clinic). You will be lying comfortable on a bed during the procedure and the surgeon will talk you through each step.

During your consultation and on the day, your surgeon should be made aware of any general medical concerns and medication you’re taking on a regular basis, including what you may be allergic to. Continue taking your daily medication unless you’re advised otherwise.

To help stop infection after your laser eye surgery, please ensure that on the day you are not wearing any makeup, particularly eye makeup (non-tinted moisturiser is allowed). Also make sure you are not wearing perfume, cologne, aftershave, hair spray or gel. It is recommended that you stop wearing eye makeup a day or two before to ensure that there is no debris left on eyelashes. Please do not wear false eyelashes as they will interfere with the procedure and need to be removed completely. 

When preparing for laser eye surgery, if you usually wear contact lenses, please switch to glasses. Wearing contact lenses can alter the shape of your corneas, making the results of your laser eye surgery less accurate and less effective. If you wear soft or disposable contacts in your eyes, they should be left out for a minimum of one week, or as advised. Hard lenses should be left out for a minimum of one month.

You will need to organise someone to drop you off and pick you up from your surgery, please do not drive following your procedure. We also recommend you do not drive to the post operative appointment the next day. We will check your vision and eyes the next day to ensure you pass the driving standard.

Fasting is not required in preparation for laser eye surgery. If you want, it is better to ensure you have had a light meal/snack and water prior to attending your surgery so you are comfortable. We do not recommend drinking alcohol on the day of surgery to prevent dehydration of the tissue around the eyes.

We recommend wearing comfortable and warm clothing on the day of your laser eye surgery. You may also want to bring socks to prepare for the cool temperature inside the theatre. It’s best to avoid shedding, fluffy fabrics and anything that goes over your head to keep your eyes free of fluff.

After the laser eye surgery you will wear a clear protective shield over your eyes which can be removed the following morning. Keep these as you will be required to wear the shields while sleeping for five nights to prevent your eyes being knocked or rubbed during sleep.

The following day you will come in for a post operative examination. The doctor will check your eyes and give further post operative instructions regarding eye drops and care. It is recommended that you attend a follow up appointment again at six to eight weeks after surgery, then as recommended by your doctor. It is best to arrange these appointments well in advance as they are often heavily booked. For more information on the days and weeks following your surgery, read about what to expect during laser eye surgery recovery.