Top 8 Questions We Hear From Patients
The Ideal Refractive Surgery Candidate:
- Is over 18 years old
- Has had stable vision/refraction for at least six months
- Has refractive error(s) that fall within treatment range
- Does not have a systemic disease or condition that could impair the procedure or healing process
- Has been educated about the procedure including its risks and benefits
- Understands that the goal of surgery is to improve vision and reduce dependence on glasses and contact lenses
- Has sufficient corneal thickness to allow safe and effective ablation
No. Once your eyes have reached the Alberta legal driving requirement (20/50 for Class 7 Drivers License), you will be able to drive. Most patients are able to drive within 5-7 days.
Note: Legal driving requirements vary depending on your Drivers License Class.
Avoid all eye makeup for 7 days after surgery.
Surgery time is typically around 20-25 minutes, but patients can expect to be in the clinic for approximately 2 hours including pre- and post-operative care.
It is common for eyes to be light-sensitive, scratchy, blurry, and even experience some redness after surgery. It is completely normal to have more blurry or even double vision around day 3-4 post-operation. This is part of the normal healing process and usually only lasts 1-2 days before it improves.
Most people can return to work within five to seven days.
The surgery itself does not hurt. Depending on the type of procedure, some patients may experience mild discomfort after surgery. This can be relieved with medication. Patients who have surface laser generally report more discomfort than with other vision correction procedures.