LASIK Pre-Surgery Checklist: 15 Things to Do Before Your Procedure

4 Weeks Before LASIK

1. Stop wearing soft contact lenses: At least 7-14 days before surgery. Contacts reshape your cornea slightly, affecting topography accuracy.

2. Stop wearing rigid gas permeable (RGP) or hard contacts: At least 3-4 weeks before. RGP lenses cause more corneal molding.

3. Switch to glasses fully: Required for accurate pre-op measurements.

4. Schedule the comprehensive pre-op evaluation: Usually done 1-2 weeks before surgery — includes corneal topography, pachymetry, dry-eye assessment, retinal exam.

5. Discuss medications with your surgeon: Some medications (like Accutane/isotretinoin for acne) need to be stopped before LASIK.

1-2 Weeks Before LASIK

6. Begin lubricating eye drops: 4 times daily, preservative-free. Helps optimise tear film for surgery.

7. Avoid eye makeup for 3-5 days before: Mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow can leave residue around the lash line.

8. Stop using face creams near the eye area: 2-3 days before.

9. Arrange transportation: You cannot drive yourself home after LASIK. Plan a friend, family member, or cab.

10. Plan 1-2 days off work: Most patients can return to desk work in 24-48 hours but rest helps.

1 Day Before LASIK

11. Eat normally and stay hydrated: No fasting required for LASIK (it's done under topical drops, not general anaesthesia).

12. Avoid alcohol: For 24 hours before surgery — affects healing and post-op medications.

13. Wash hair, face thoroughly: You won't be able to wash your face freely for the first 24-48 hours after.

14. Get a good night's sleep: 7-8 hours.

15. Pack your post-LASIK kit: Sunglasses (essential for the trip home), prescription medications, water bottle, comfortable clothes.

Morning of LASIK

• Eat a light, normal breakfast — don't skip meals
• No eye makeup, perfume, or face creams — even moisturiser near the eye area
• Wear comfortable, button-front clothing — easier than pulling t-shirts overhead post-surgery
• Bring sunglasses — you'll need them for the trip home
• Bring all prescriptions and ID — check with the centre about what to carry
• Arrive 30 minutes before scheduled time — for final pre-op tests and consent
• Eat a light meal before leaving home — you'll be discharged within 2-3 hours

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon Before LASIK

• Which technology is recommended for my eyes (Femto/Contoura/SMILE), and why?
• What's my expected post-op vision (20/20, 20/25, etc.)?
• What's my chance of needing an enhancement procedure?
• What dry-eye risk applies to me specifically?
• What are the realistic recovery milestones — when can I drive, work, exercise, swim, travel?
• Is an enhancement included in the price if needed, and on what terms?
• What is the surgeon's procedure volume and complication rate?
• What happens if there's a complication during surgery?
• What is the post-op care protocol — drops, follow-up schedule?
• What's the all-inclusive cost — any extras to expect?

What Tests Are Done Before LASIK?

Before LASIK you will have a detailed eye evaluation that checks both your prescription and whether your cornea is safe to treat. The usual tests are:

• Vision and refraction — measuring your exact prescription, often both with and without dilating drops so the eye's focusing muscle cannot mask the true power
• Corneal topography or tomography — a map of the shape of your cornea, used to detect irregular astigmatism and early keratoconus, a key safety check
• Pachymetry — measuring corneal thickness to make sure enough tissue will remain after treatment
• Wavefront or aberrometry scan — at some centres, measuring finer optical irregularities for personalised treatment
• Pupil size measurement — especially in dim light, which helps predict night glare
• Tear film and dry-eye tests — such as tear break-up time or Schirmer's test
• Eye pressure (IOP) — a glaucoma screen
• Slit-lamp examination — checking the eyelids, cornea and lens under magnification
• Dilated retina examination — checking for thin areas or holes in the retina, which are more common in people with high minus power

The results decide whether you are suitable and which procedure — LASIK, Contoura, SMILE, surface ablation or ICL — fits your eyes best.

Preparing for the Evaluation Itself

The pre-op evaluation needs some preparation of its own:

• Stop contact lenses beforehand — the same contact-lens-free period described above applies to the evaluation, because measurements taken while your cornea is still moulded can be inaccurate.
• Bring your current glasses and any old prescriptions — these help show whether your power has been stable, ideally for at least a year.
• Skip eye makeup that day — it can interfere with scans and tear tests.
• Do not drive yourself — dilating drops blur near vision and cause light sensitivity for several hours.
• Allow enough time — a thorough evaluation with dilation commonly takes a couple of hours.
• Bring a list of your medicines and health conditions — see below.

What Should I Avoid Before LASIK?

The key things to avoid before LASIK, in one place:

• Contact lenses — for the full period your surgeon specifies (see the timings above)
• Eye makeup, creams and lotions around the eyes — in the days before and on the day
• Perfume, aftershave and hair spray on the day — strong vapours can affect the laser environment and irritate the eyes
• Alcohol — for at least the day before
• Rubbing your eyes — especially if they feel dry or itchy
• Starting new eye drops or medicines without telling your surgeon
• Booking surgery during a cold, eye infection or allergy flare — tell the centre and reschedule if needed
• Long flights or major plans right after surgery — keep the first few days free for rest and follow-up
• Going ahead without your questions answered — use the question list above

Health Information to Tell Your Surgeon

Tell your surgeon about your general health as well as your eyes, because some conditions affect healing or suitability:

• Pregnancy, planned pregnancy or breastfeeding — hormones can change your prescription; surgeons usually advise waiting until after pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Diabetes — especially if blood sugar is not well controlled
• Autoimmune or connective-tissue conditions — such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
• Previous eye problems — infections, injuries, lazy eye, glaucoma or eye surgery
• History of keloid scarring or slow wound healing
• Medicines — including acne treatment such as isotretinoin, steroids, immune-suppressing drugs, and any eye drops
• Allergies — to medicines or drops

None of these automatically rules you out, but they help your surgeon choose the safest plan.