What To Expect
Our professional, highly trained team will explain exactly what you should expect and how to prepare for your day of surgery.
Appointments
Your first consultation will likely take around 2 hours. We will check your vision and your overall eye health. This involves dilating your pupils, so you won’t be able to drive home and will likely want to wear sunglasses until the effects wear off.
If you are a candidate for PRK, you will have time to ask questions about the surgery, recovery, results and costs during this time.
Read our list of Questions to Ask Your Surgeon
Day of surgery
If you are a candidate for surgery, Dr. Anderson Penno will provide you with instructions for eating and drinking before you come in and how to care for your eyes when you get home. Below are some basic guidelines.
In the morning
Remember during your morning routine that you should not wear any eye makeup on the day of surgery. Not even foundation, base or powder. Even a tiny amount of fragrance can distort the laser; so do not wear any perfume or scented products. This includes your moisturizer and hair care products. Refrain from smoking for at least two hours before your surgery.
Your appointment
The procedure itself only takes a few minutes, but there will be some preparation time. Our experienced staff will go over what to expect during and after surgery and provide written instructions. You will be given the opportunity to ask any questions or meet with Dr. Anderson Penno again if you have additional questions the staff is not able to answer.
No matter how much your vision has improved after surgery, you will need someone to drive you home. Driving is not recommended until after you have been measured to be within the legal range for driving post-operatively.
Aftercare
After your surgery, you may wish to go home and take a nap. Your eyes need to rest and heal, and you should plan to relax for the rest of the day. With PRK, a bandage contact lens will remain in place for a few days following surgery. You will be provided with detailed written instructions for post-operative care.
Your eyes will probably be red. This is normal and will subside over the next few days. You may experience some itching and burning and your eyes may water. Do not rub your eyes! You may also experience glare, sensitivity to light, and see halos around lights or starbursts.
Dr. Anderson Penno may prescribe or recommend a mild pain medication to minimize any discomfort.
