How do I safely remove crusting on my eyelids and caruncle after LASIK?

Very gentle cleaning with a wet washcloth is fine. The key is insuring that your eyes stay closed when cleaning. Eye rubbers (esp the intense ones) tend to stretch and pull the lids open while rubbing, which can lead to injury. I recommend that all patients buy commercially available eyelid cleaning scrubs (like ocusoft brand). These kill the bacteria around the eye which tend to leave debris and crust on the lashes. They look like little individually wrapped alcohol pads that you would see at the hospital or a blood bank. You open a pad, carefully wipe the upper and lower lid at the lash line, then throw it away. It helps reduce ocular surface inflammation, which is good for your lasik recovery and dry eyes, but also does a good job at reducing crust buildup day to day.