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Wearing Contact Lenses for Short Time Before Lasik?

asked 2 years ago by MK23 in MN
Latest answer by Anthony J. Kameen, MD
Question viewed 7,323 times
Tags: contacts, eyesight

I am considering Lasik and am going to make an appointment for a consultation this week.

My question is, I have not worn contacts for months but wore them for a few hours about five days ago. Because of that, do I need to wait two weeks to have my consultation?

3 answers to Wearing Contact Lenses for Short Time Before Lasik?

+1

Cheating with Contacts Before Your Consultation

We recommend the holiday from contacts prior to consultation and surgery for your own good. We want to make absolutely sure your corneas are their true shape and not an altered shape from wearing the contact lenses. Saying that, your little dalliance in lenses is probably OK, but don't push the limits on that. I often say that leaving your contacts out prior to LASIK is the hardest part of the procedure!
Anthony J. Kameen, MD

Baltimore Ophthalmologist

www.kameen.com

+1

Contact lenses before LASIK

It is not possible to give a complete answer to this question because it depends on many factors. In general, soft lenses have a more limited effect on the stability of the baseline refraction before LASIK than hard or gas permeable lenses. If you are wearing the hard type, it may take longer for your eyes to stabilize. In addition, toric or astigmatism correcting soft lenses also can distort the eye shape for some period of time. It may be possible to have your consult, but what we... more
Jon Dishler, MD

Denver Ophthalmologist
+1

Contact lens wear prior to LASIK

There's really no hard and fast answer to this. In general, the more you wear contacts prior to your measurements for surgery, the higher the chance the cornea will not be back to its "natural" shape, and the less accurate the surgical result. The less time elapsed between contact lens wear and measurements, and the longer the time of wear, the worse the situation. A "few hours" five days before measurements may not make a huge difference, but it could make a slight... more
Gary Kawesch, MD

San Jose Ophthalmologist

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