Screens are part of our daily life, and yet we rarely consider how they affect the way we look at the world. During long periods of staring at screens, we blink roughly half as much as normal. This can lead to our eyes drying out and feeling irritated or tired. This has an interesting affect on daily life, and it can have a similarly interesting affect on the way a person recovers from LASIK surgery.
Dr. Raul Peña provides his patients with ample post-op advice to improve the LASIK recovery process. The team at Peña Eye Institute would like to consider screen time after LASIK and what patients should do after their surgery.
Resting Your Eyes After LASIK Is Crucial
After undergoing LASIK, it is essential to give your eyes a chance to rest. This improves the healing process, speeds up recovery time, and reduces the risk of complications.
Avoiding screens after LASIK is a big part of resting your eyes. You’ll avoid drying out and tiring out your eyes while they are healing simply by avoiding screens and then altering the way you stare at screens through the day. Here are some guidelines on screen use after LASIK.
Avoid Screens for the First 24 Hours After Surgery
Your eyes will be particularly sensitive in the initial days after LASIK. It’s important that you avoid looking at screens for the first 24 hours after surgery. Do your best to focus on rest for a day. Don’t browse the internet, don’t obsessively check texts or social media, and avoid streaming for a day. This break from devices could actually be welcome.
Be Cautious with Screens for the Next Few Weeks
Even after the first 24 hours has passed, your eyes will still be healing. You should continue to reduce your screen time or at least alter the way you interact with screens for the coming weeks.
The 20-20-20 Rule
We tell LASIK patients to observe the 20-20-20 rule when they’re looking at screens. This rule means that after looking at a screen for 20 minutes, you should look away for 20 seconds while focusing on something 20 feet away from you. This will reset your blink rate and help your eyes rest.
Use Liquid Tears as Needed
Your eyes will dry out regardless if you’re staring at a screen or not. It’s a common temporary side effect of LASIK. To alleviate discomfort and soothe your eyes, be sure to carry liquid tears with you at all times. A little but of lubrication from eye drops can work wonders for your weary eyes.
Make a Conscious Effort to Blink More
Since screens will unconsciously slow down your blink rate, you can combat this by making a conscious decision to blink more. While you’re exercising the 20-20-20 rule at work or at home, try to blink a bit more while using a device or your computer.
Get a Good Night’s Rest
In the weeks after LASIK, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best ways to help improve the healing process and fight eye strain. Don’t discount the importance of a full night’s rest and how it can improve the recovery process.
Learn More About LASIK Surgery
If you are interested in LASIK and would like to find out if this refractive surgery is right for you, be sure to contact a skilled laser eye surgeon. You can schedule a consultation with Dr. Raul Peña by calling (956) 661-8733. We'll SEE you here!
