Should contact wear be avoided prior to surgery? For how long?
Contact lenses always must come out before LASIK. Depending on the type of contact lenses you are wearing(hard vs soft vs toric) the time will vary. In my practice, regular soft lenses need to be out 10 days before surgery, toric lenses two weeks and gas permeable lenses must be out one month for every decade you have worn them, I know this sounds harsh, but getting your cornea back to its natural shape is vital to a good and accurate outcome. I often say that leaving your contacts out is the hardest part of the surgery!