Medically Reviewed by Tom Tooma, M.D., Founder/Medical Director
What Drugs Are Given Prior to LASIK Surgery?
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Medically Reviewed by Tom Tooma, M.D., Founder/Medical Director
Although LASIK is a fast and safe surgical procedure to correct refractive errors, it is still an operation that may involve taking some medications before or after the surgery.
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LASIK medications include an antibiotic and a steroid drop to use one day to three days before surgery. The antibiotic is to prevent infection. The steroid drops work with the antibiotic drops to optimize your tear film. The antibiotic and steroid drops are continued for one week following surgery.
A relaxing pill is typically given 20 to 30 minutes before surgery to minimize anxiety during surgery.
If you are taking other medications, you should share that information with your surgeon. You might need to adjust or stop some prescription medications before undergoing LASIK.
Which Medications Will Your Eye Surgeon Recommend or Prescribe?
During LASIK, your doctor will use anesthetic eye drops to numb your eye.
You will be awake during the procedure. Since you will be given relaxing medications before surgery, your anxiety level during surgery should be minimized. You will watch a videotape before surgery about what to expect during and after surgery. You will also be given instructions about how to use your postoperative LASIK medications.
References
- The Basics of LASIK Eye Surgery. (August 2012). Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Information.
- Methods of Sedation for LASIK. (April 2012). Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today.
- Preoperative Evaluation for LASIK Surgery. (October 2019). EyeWiki, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).
Dr. Tooma, the founder of NVISION® Eye Centers, has performed well over 130,000 LASIK surgeries, making him the most experienced LASIK surgeon in the Western United States.
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