Allergy Season and LASIK Surgery? Yikes!
When allergy season strikes, it can be especially irritating for those who wear contacts. Debris from the air can get trapped on or under the contact lens, further exacerbating the itchiness that allergens cause. Many allergy sufferers are eager to give LASIK surgery a try, as foregoing contacts can help reduce the eye symptoms some people experience as a result of allergies. But others worry if it’s a good idea for their eye health to have LASIK during allergy season or if it could make allergy effects worse. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Post-Surgery Drops Can Alleviate Allergy Symptoms
After you undergo LASIK surgery, you will receive prescription eye drops to use for a set period of time post-operation. These drops contain a steroid, which often drastically reduces allergy symptoms in the eyes. While regularly using this medication, you should experience a great amount of relief from the typical eye symptoms that accompany allergies. Your doctor will taper you off of this steroid drop after a week, but it should help reduce the chances of itchiness and dryness while you use it.
2. Allergy Eye Drops Can Be Resumed
After about seven to ten days, your eye doctor will likely clear you to begin using either over-the-counter or prescription allergy eye drops again. These antihistamines can sometimes create dryness in your eyes, which can be heightened after surgery, so you could experience a bit more dryness than you did before. However, the itchiness that allergy season can create should be kept at bay, thanks to the combination of discontinuing the use of contacts and using the allergy drops.
3. Overall Eye Health is Likely to Improve
Once you’re postoperative, you might begin noticing that your general eye health is improving. You might have residual dryness for a bit, but the eye allergy symptoms will be lessened once you’re no longer relying on contacts daily and your eyes are likely to feel better overall. You will probably be less tempted to rub them, since they’ll be less irritated, so you will avoid getting particles in them and they will be able to better retain moisture.
If you’d like to know whether you’re even a candidate for LASIK, read our informative post here.
So if you’ve been considering LASIK eye surgery during allergy season, you’ve chosen a good time to do so. Not only will LASIK help you to see with pristine vision, but you might also be surprised by how much allergy relief you have after the procedure. Contact us today to ask about our LASIK eye surgery and your options.