After years of depending on glasses or contacts, your spouse is likely looking forward to finally being able to see without corrective lenses. While laser vision correction is a routine procedure with a short recovery time, your spouse still needs to follow a few aftercare instructions to provide their eyes with a chance to heal. As your spouse preps for their upcoming corrective surgery, you can use these tips to help them enjoy the best possible recovery.

1. Provide Them With a Ride Home

Although many people begin to see clearly shortly after their surgery, your spouse may still have lingering side effects such as blurriness and watering that can affect their ability to drive. If your loved one is given a mild sedative during their procedure, then they may also be slightly groggy. Typically, your spouse should be able to drive within a day or two after the surgery, but they'll need a ride home the first day to be safe.

2. Encourage Them to Rest Their Eyes

Once your spouse returns home, they should rest their eyes as much as possible for the first several hours after their LASIK procedure. If possible, your spouse should try to nap to reduce the strain on their eyes. If they cannot nap, then they can rest with their eyes closed and avoid activities such as watching television during this initial period of healing.

3. Remind Them to Wear The Eye Shields

Over the next several weeks, your spouse must avoid rubbing or scratching their eyes. While they should be able to remember not to do this while they are awake, it is possible for them to accidentally rub their eyes as they sleep. For this reason, most people are provided with protective eye shields to wear overnight. Help your loved one apply the shields to their eyes as needed so that they do not accidentally cause damage that interferes with their ability to heal.

4. Plan Safe Activities for the Recovery Period

Your spouse should notice improvements in their vision and comfort within just a few short days. However, they must continue to avoid activities that could irritate their eyes for several weeks. Since your loved one should avoid strenuous workouts and water sports, try to plan something else to do instead such as going for a walk through an indoor area such as a museum or mall.

Vision correction offers benefits for your spouse such as being able to live their life unencumbered by the need to wear glass full-time. Now that you know how to help them through the recovery period, you can look forward to watching as they enjoy the benefits of having clearer vision. 

For more information, contact a company like Idaho Eye and Laser center.