The decision to have LASIK or any other vision correction procedure is a very personal one and there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. The COVID-19 pandemic has just added one more layer of consideration to your vision journey. However, this again is a purely personal decision. Learn all the factors you should consider when choosing when to schedule your LASIK surgery.
Why Would You Want to Have LASIK During a Pandemic?
Over the last year, you may have had reservations about going to the doctor for non-emergency treatment - more than 68% of Americans said that they or someone in their household has delayed healthcare during the pandemic. However, there are several reasons why now is a great time to consider a procedure such as LASIK. Here are a few benefits to not delaying your LASIK surgery:
- Working from Home – If you’re able to work from home, you can have the added flexibility of resting your eyes when needed and not having to go into an office during your recovery.
- Child Care – Easier to find the appropriate childcare for your appointments
and recovery.
- Foggy Glasses – tired of having foggy glasses due to wearing a mask? LASIK can eliminate your need for glasses and help reduce one more inconvenience from everyday life.
- Reallocation of Disposable Income – With travel plans altering or being postponed, you may be able to reallocate funds to LASIK surgery.
- Realization That You Hate Contacts! – Now that you have not been consistently wearing contact lenses you may realize you hate them and never want to go back.
Should You Wait to Have LASIK?
While the ability to work from home and recover comfortably at home are advantages to getting LASIK during a pandemic, it’s important to consider the risks as well. Here are a few key considerations before scheduling your LASIK surgery:
- Immune Health - If you are immunocompromised and feel vulnerable going out in public, then we would recommend you postpone your plans for LASIK.
- You have COVID-19 - If you contract COVID-19, you should postpone your plans for LASIK until you are fully recovered.
- Members of your immediate household have COVID-19 - Again, you should postpone LASIK until all members of your household are fully recovered.
Safety Precautions for Your LASIK Surgery During COVID-19
Here at Providence Eye & Laser Specialists, we have taken many steps to ensure a safe environment for all visits to our office and laser suite. Here are a few highlights:
- All patients and Providence Eye teams members must wear a mask over their mouth and nose at all times while in our office space.
- Check-in from your car – We ask that you text us upon arrival and we will tell you when we are ready to start your appointment. This eliminates waiting in our reception area.
- All exam rooms are fully sanitized between every patient.
- Hand sanitizer is readily available throughout our office.
We would encourage you to read all of our COVID-19 protocols prior to arriving at our office and familiarize yourself with the current local mask mandates in Charlotte, NC.
If you are ready to schedule your complimentary LASIK consultation, please contact us at 704-540-9595 or click here to submit a request.
