The eye is a sensitive human organ. When problems arise with the delicate organ of vision, the desire to learn as much as possible both about the treatment itself and about subsequent care is natural. In the article we will touch upon a description of the process of laser vision correction, postoperative care, and discuss the common question: is it possible to drink alcohol after laser surgery?
Share
Tweet
Share
Cool
Send
Alcohol and eye surgery
Let's start with the obvious - alcohol abuse is harmful not only to the eyes, but also to the entire human body. The thing is that ethyl alcohol, which is an ingredient in alcoholic drinks, is dangerous - it increases the risk of heart pathologies and liver diseases, and affects other organs of the human body.
Such a dangerous substance can also affect the organs of vision and cause the following eye diseases:
- blurred vision due to atrophy of the optic nerves;
- damage to the eye vessels;
- the occurrence of cataracts.
Alcohol can also lead to astigmatism or glaucoma. There is a whole list of eye diseases provoked by ethyl alcohol. Many of these illnesses lead to blindness.
Ethyl alcohol is especially dangerous for the body, which is already affected by an infection or virus. At such moments, the human body is especially vulnerable. Ethanol consumption by a person during illness leads to consequences such as damage to the immune system, slowing down the recovery process, and nullifying the effectiveness of medications.
IMPORTANT! Laser vision correction is not included in the list of urgent operations.
A person decides for himself when and under what circumstances it is most convenient for him to sign up for such an operation. It is necessary to consult a doctor, where they will clearly explain to you what is permissible before such an operation and what is strictly forbidden to do. Will the doctor prohibit drinking alcohol? They will explain to you what laser eye surgery is. Therefore, we invite you to familiarize yourself with this information.
Recommendations for recovery after surgery
The eyes are an organ that requires special care, especially after surgery. Typically, all patients are given a number of recommendations during rehabilitation.
The main ones are:
- Visit doctor;
- Avoiding physical activity in the first 2 months;
- You cannot go to baths, saunas, solariums;
- It is necessary to limit exposure to drafts and sun;
- It is necessary to limit drinking.
This list is not complete; the clinic specialist will also tell you that you should not get your eye wet for the first few days. At the same time, the patient is prescribed special medications and drops, which are important to use in the prescribed manner. Another educational video about the effects of bad habits on vision:
Limit yourself from stress, as it also negatively affects the general condition of the body.
We recommend...
Read review
What can you drink after and in what quantities?
Each case is individual. Modern methods of laser eye correction surgery are gentle. Vision is restored in a short time, and any discomfort for the patient is minimized. However, if you do not follow rehabilitation advice from an ophthalmologist, you can easily pay for it with complications.
Let's talk about the main recommendations for postoperative care:
- For the first 4-5 days, you must follow a proper diet. Fast food and soda are excluded.
- The patient is prescribed eye drops and the frequency of their use.
- Under no circumstances should you lift heavy objects or expose yourself to any physical activity.
- It is not recommended to read books during the first week. Reading puts extreme strain on the eyes.
- Drinking alcohol is prohibited for two weeks.
Let's talk in more detail, why can't you drink alcohol after eye surgery?
This is due to the same ethyl alcohol, with its harmful effects on the body. The postoperative period is the moment when the immune system is vulnerable to ethanol. The dangers to which ethyl alcohol exposes our body during rehabilitation include:
- Decreased immunity. For the same reason, surgery is not performed on patients with diabetes and AIDS. The point is the incision of the cornea, which is an integral part of laser vision surgery. It takes time for this incision to heal completely, and low immunity and a weak immune system make this process unpleasant. Alcohol consumption affects the human immune system.
- During the rehabilitation period, the patient has to put special drops into his eyes every day. Most medications should not be taken simultaneously with alcohol.
- Alcohol inevitably affects blood pressure in the human body. The pressure increases, and this leads to dilation of the capillaries of the eyes, which provokes hemorrhage into the retina.
- The most prosaic of the reasons is that when drinking alcohol, a person is prone to self-harm. Impaired coordination of movements of an intoxicated mind is extremely traumatic. Any trauma to the organs of vision will lead to detachment of the corneal flap that was manipulated during surgery, and this provokes deformation of the cornea and visual impairment.
Preparing for surgery
Before laser correction, a detailed diagnosis is first carried out so that, based on the examination results, the ophthalmologist can accurately predict the result of the correction and choose the most appropriate method, taking into account the characteristics of the patient’s visual system. In order for the operation to proceed exactly as predicted, you need to prepare for the correction:
- stop using soft contact lenses a week before correction, and hard ones a month before;
- stop drinking alcohol for two days before surgery;
- do not use cosmetics or eau de toilette on the day of the procedure;
- take sunglasses with you for the return home.
If laser vision correction is planned, you should stop drinking alcohol in any quantity two days before the operation. Two days are enough for previously consumed alcoholic drinks to be completely eliminated from the body. The presence of alcohol in the blood or its residues can negatively affect the circulatory system, promote vasodilation, and increase intraocular pressure, which can negatively affect the results of correction.
It is also worth noting that at the time of the operation the patient needs to accurately focus his gaze on a special light. This is required for proper alignment of the laser and precise impact on the cornea during the flap formation process.
If the patient “drank for courage,” it will be difficult to concentrate on the light, which will also affect the result of the correction.
You also need to be careful when taking sedatives. Self-administration of any medications before surgery is prohibited. If the patient is worried before the correction, you need to inform the doctor about this so that he can select a safe sedative.
How is lasik surgery performed?
In the modern world, laser eye correction is a safe and quick procedure. People have achieved such success in this field. There are a great variety of techniques and varieties of such an operation.
It is worth carefully familiarizing yourself with the main methods, weighing all the pros and cons of each of them and choosing the appropriate option for yourself. But no matter which one you choose, the essence of all operations is the same. Therefore, below we will describe the main parts of this procedure:
- No special preparation is required before the operation. Basic requirements: do not drink alcohol two days before surgery and if you wear contact lenses two weeks before surgery, stop wearing them and switch to glasses.
- On the day of surgery, your vision will be thoroughly checked again. Eye pressure is measured and visometry is performed. You will also have to go through standard paperwork procedures - signing an agreement.
- The patient is given a sedative to relieve eye strain. Apply special drops to the eyes. Wait about half an hour.
- The patient is taken to the operating room, where the laser equipment is located.
- The patient is placed on the couch, he is given instructions to look at a certain point, and an eyelid speculum is installed. The patient does not feel pain - the drops used to treat the eye are anesthesia.
- Using a laser, the doctor makes an incision in the cornea of the eye.
- By moving back part of the cornea, the doctor begins to correct the vision defect and form the correct cornea.
- No stitches are required after the operation is completed. Bandages are applied to prevent infection from entering the eye.
Laser vision correction surgery is one of the most painless and safe operations. However, there are a number of reasons why a person will be denied the procedure. Contraindications for surgery are:
- The operation is not performed until adulthood.
- With active progression of vision loss, the disease process is first stopped.
- The procedure is not performed for pregnant and nursing mothers.
- You should not go under the laser during illnesses such as colds and flu.
- Surgery cannot be performed if there is an infection of the eye organs.
- Dystrophic change in fiber.
- AIDS.
- Diabetes.
Useful video
How is LASIK surgery performed?
Contraindications after vision correction
Relaxation during the rehabilitation period can only be authorized by a doctor. In other cases, you need to give up many things. In particular, there is a list of contraindications:
- Do not allow water to come into contact with the operated eye.
- Baths and saunas are strictly contraindicated for the patient.
- It’s worth giving up going to the beach and sunbathing for a while.
- It is not recommended to sleep on your stomach.
- If the work involves physical activity, then you need to take sick leave.
- Dancing, fitness, jogging, yoga, Pilates, etc. are also contraindicated.
For each specific case, it is necessary to consult with your doctor. For example, girls are additionally prohibited from using cosmetics and decorative elements. It is also not recommended to become pregnant, smoke, read or drink alcohol after laser vision correction. All these tips will help you avoid pressure on your eyes, reducing strain to a minimum. To the question of whether it is possible to drink low-alcohol drinks, the answer will be unequivocal - absolutely not.
Attention! Drinks containing ethyl alcohol should not be consumed after vision correction surgery. Otherwise, the effect of treatment will be, if not completely nullified, then significantly reduced.
The doctor has the right to tell the patient what he is allowed to do:
- Lie on your side.
- Gradually increase eye strain (reading, watching movies, working on a PC, etc.).
- Carefully care for the eye using special products, including paper napkins.
Healing of the optic nerves will occur faster if you follow professional instructions and listen to the doctor in everything.
According to professional doctors, after rehabilitation it is still undesirable to drink alcohol for two weeks. The recovery process may take a long time, and alcoholic drinks can greatly interfere with this. Patients should be aware that alcohol can negatively affect blood pressure, eye bleeding, blood vessel walls, alertness and self-control, and may increase the likelihood of injury. These factors should be taken into account by the patient after vision correction. In any case, only a professional consultation with a doctor can protect against ill-considered actions during vision correction.