Lowering the Risk for Increased Eye Pressure After Laser Surgery
If your ophthalmologist recommends laser eye surgery, you can rest assured that you will probably sail through the procedure and recovery period without any problems. Even though laser eye surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, you will need to take steps to help lower your risk of elevated intraocular pressure while you recover. Here are some things your eye surgeon may recommend that may help keep your eye pressure within normal limits after undergoing your procedure.
Avoid Certain Household Chores
While you are recovering from your laser eye surgery, avoid doing household chores that involve bending down, stooping over, or exertion. These activities can significantly raise your eye pressure, which may slow down the healing process. While your eye doctor may allow you to perform simple household chores such as dusting and cleaning your countertops, he or she will advise you to avoid washing your floors, vacuuming, cleaning your bathtub, and perhaps even loading and emptying your dishwasher.
In addition to avoiding household chores, your eye surgeon will also advise against stooping over or bending down for extended periods of time to help discourage rises in intraocular pressure. If you drop something and need to pick it up off the floor or if you need to tie your shoes, you can do so as long as you do it promptly.
Review Medication Side Effects
Certain prescription and over-the-counter medications can increase your eye pressure, which can adversely affect your recovery from your laser eye surgery. Let your eye surgeon know if you take antihistamines, asthma medications, heartburn medications, muscle relaxers, anti-anxiety medications, or antidepressants.
It is important to note, that while these medications may result in elevated eye pressure, you should never stop taking them without consulting with your primary physician. While your doctor may not discontinue your medications, he or she may recommend that you get your intraocular pressure checked regularly after undergoing your laser eye surgery.
If your eye pressure is elevated as a result of your medications, your primary care physician may then discontinue or lower the dosage of the offending medication. Once the medication has completely cleared your system, medication-related elevated intraocular pressure will subside.
To learn more about how to keep your eye pressure within normal limits after your laser eye surgery, talk to your ophthalmologist. When you take steps to maintain normal eye pressure after your procedure, you are more likely to enjoy an incident-free recovery period.
