Is it Safe to Fly After LASIK Surgery?

    CHICAGO, IL, December 07, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- One of the most common questions about LASIK is whether or not it is safe to travel by airplane after your surgery. The short answer to this question is yes. The long answer is still yes, but your eyes may be more susceptible to drying immediately following your surgery. Because of this, it may be more comfortable to wait for a day or two after your surgery before attempting any travel involving airplanes. However, if it is imperative that you travel, you will still be able to keep your eyes moisturized with the use of artificial tears.

Air Pressure and Your Eyes
As an airplane rises in the atmosphere, there is less air pressure. The tenderness you may feel around your eyes while ascending or descending is due to a difference in ambient air pressure between your sinus cavity and the outside air.

Your sinuses lie in your cheek, nose, and forehead. The tubes connecting the mucus-covered membranes in your sinus cavities can become blocked from pressure differentials between the cavities and outside air. This, in turn, can lead to a dull, throbbing pain in and around your eyes. This is not harmful to your LASIK results, but may add discomfort to the dryness of your eyes caused by the dehumidified air inside of the airplane.

Fortunately, sinus cavities can be cleared by holding your nose shut and blowing until the air equalizes. While this will relieve pressure around your eyes, you will still need artificial tears immediately following LASIK surgery to prevent excessively dry eyes.

Dry Eyes and LASIK Surgery
Dry eyes are one of the most frequent complications of LASIK surgery. Reports indicate that as many as 50 percent of LASIK recipients will suffer from dry eyes within the first week following their surgery. Dry eyes can continue in some people for up to 6 months, making it very important to follow your eye doctor's post-LASIK advice.

Nearly every case of dry eyes self-corrects within half a year. During this time, you will need eye drops to help keep your eyes properly moisturized. This is particularly important during air travel, or in other instances where your eyes are more likely to become irritated. Your doctor will go over all of the potential risks and complications of LASIK surgery with you prior to your procedure. He will also instruct you in how to minimize discomfort, and protect the results of your surgery.

If you live in or around Arlington Heights or anywhere in the Chicago, Illinois area and are interested in learning more about LASIK surgery, please visit the website of Doctors for Visual Freedom for more information at www.doctorsforvisualfreedom.com.

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