Instructions after laser vision correction
Patient care at the German Eye Clinic does not stop after recovery. We provide all the necessary postoperative care and rehabilitation treatment free of charge for the required period, even after discharge. This does not apply to physiological changes (deterioration) of the eyes or other complications and diseases not related to laser vision correction.
Instructions for the operation
To prepare for the operation:
- read your consent form carefully and understand it thoroughly laser vision correction;
- eat and drink as usual (do not drink alcohol the day before the operation);
- wear long-sleeved, loose-fitting, non-fibrous clothing in which you feel comfortable;
- do not use make-up, perfume and aftershave;
- take sunglasses with you.
After the operation, you will receive:
- a prescription for medications;
- instructions for the medical use of medicines;
- emergency contact phone number (for the night after the operation);
- an invitation to a postoperative consultation.
Returning home
- try to stay in a relaxed state;
- move your eyes as little as possible;
- try not to close your eyes;
- Do not rub your eyes;
- avoid activities that require visual concentration (e.g. watching TV, using a computer).
If you have small children, we recommend that you arrange for help from relatives or friends in advance for the first two days, especially after laser correction surgery.
Minimise alcohol consumption during the first 2-3 days, as it can interact with the medicines and cause dry eyes.
Get as much rest as possible and avoid unnecessary eye strain.Medicines
How to use eye drops correctly:
- Always wash your hands before applying eye drops;
- Tilt your head back and look at the ceiling;
- Drop the medicine exactly on the eyeball. DO NOT stretch the eyelid;
- Try not to touch the eye and eyelid with the pipette of the bottle.
Remember that your vision may be blurred immediately after using eye drops and ointments.
Follow the instructions on the medicine for which eye drops to use first and at what intervals.
If you miss a dose, do not take two or three doses at a time. You may feel more comfortable if someone helps you with the eye drops until your eyes have recovered.
Additional precautions:
- do not let other people use your eye drops;
- do not touch the neck of the bottle to your eye or other surface;
- put the cap on the bottle of eye drops or ointment immediately after use;
- keep the hermetically sealed bottle upright;
- Throw away all drops and ointments after the end of the course of treatment.
Eye care
- watering of the eyes;
- photosensitivity (wear sunglasses when going out);
- sense of a grain of sand in the eye;
- inflammation of the eyes, difficulty opening them;
- dilated pupils;
- swollen and/or drooping eyelids;
- flies and spots in front of the eyes.
There is no reason to worry as these are normal temporary effects of the surgery.Practical tips:
- If you feel the need to clean your eye area, use a gauze dipped in cooled boiled water and try not to touch your eyes.
- Do not use commercial eye wash. If you experience a stinging sensation in your eye, dryness or tightness in your eye(s), use preservative-free artificial tear drops. They can be purchased at any pharmacy without a prescription.
- If your eyelids are swollen, itchy and red eyes appear (even a few days after surgery), it may be a reaction to the medication. Contact the clinic for advice on an alternative treatment.
Feeling of discomfort in the eyes
- Thanks to the local application of anaesthetic drops, the entire operation is painless. It is normal to feel discomfort an hour after the operation, as the anaesthesia wears off. The discomfort may be similar to the feeling of a speck of dust in the eye and will last for 24-38 hours. Laser vision correction is usually practically painless, but after the operation, you may experience a fairly strong feeling of discomfort, which can be managed with medications and bandage contact lenses.
Danger in case of severe pain
- If you experience severe pain after 24 hours, contact the eye clinic (Tuesday to Saturday) to make an appointment for a postoperative appointment. If the clinic is closed or you need an appointment on Sunday, please call the reception. One of our staff members will contact your surgeon and arrange for him or her to call you back.
It is unlikely that emergency room doctors are familiar with complications after laser surgery. In the event of a complication (which is unlikely), contact the clinic as soon as possible.
Postoperative care
Be sure to attend your appointments as recommended by your doctor. One or two appointments after the operation are mandatory. All postoperative care at the German Eye Clinic is included in the cost of the operation and is provided free of charge.
| Treatment | First visit | Second visit | Third visit | |
| Genius PRO | 3-4 days* | 7-14 days and discharge if everything is fine | 1 month | |
| Genius PLUS | 3-4 days* | 1 month and discharge if everything is fine | ||
| Genius NANO/ADVANCED Cataracts | 1 day | 1 week and discharge if everything is fine | no need | |
You can cancel your appointment up to 3 days in advance, if you cancel later, a fee of 50% of the service cost will be charged. If you are twenty minutes or more late for your appointment, you will have to make another appointment. In some cases, the surgeon may prescribe additional eye drops. With a prescription, the prescribed medication can be purchased at a pharmacy. If it is more convenient for you, we can refer you for a postoperative examination at one of the optical correction centres in your city, which you pay for yourself. This option may be more economical for you than a trip to the clinic. The results of the examination will be sent to the clinic and entered into your medical record. In this case, ask for a copy of the postoperative examination.
Recovery time
| Treatment | Estimated recovery of vision* | Recommended time off work (including the day of surgery)** | |
| Genius PLUS | Up to 24 hours | 1 day | |
| Genius PRO | 3-5 days | 7-10 days | |
| Genius NANO/ADVANCED Cataract surgery | Up to 24 hours | 7-10 days | |
*Please note that the recovery process may vary from patient to patient. Usually, vision recovery takes 1 to 3 months until the final result is achieved.
**Return to work will depend on your activities. Ask your surgeon or optometrist for further advice and information about any restrictions.
Return to everyday life
- If you work in dusty environments (e.g. on construction sites), protect your eyes with protective goggles such as mask type goggles for at least one month.
- When working with displays (screens), take regular 15-minute breaks every 45 minutes, as long periods of concentrated work can tire your eyes in the first 2-3 weeks.
- It is recommended to wear sunglasses when going outdoors for the first few weeks. This will protect your eyes from dust particles and reduce the temporary effect of light sensitivity.
- Patients undergoing GENIUS NANO and ADVANCED cataract surgery should avoid heavy lifting for the first 4 weeks.
During the postoperative consultation, the doctor will determine whether your vision meets the required standards.
DO NOT DRIVE UNTIL YOUR DOCTOR CONFIRMS THAT IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.
According to driving standards, you should be able to read a car licence plate at a distance of 20.5 metres. If you have had surgery in one eye, take extra care when driving, as your binocular (stereoscopic) vision (when both eyes work together) is temporarily affected and it may be difficult to judge distances.
Sports
Avoid vigorous physical activity until your eyes have fully recovered (this usually takes about a month for all activities). The table below gives a guide to recovery times for common activities. Your doctor may give different recommendations depending on your individual circumstances. If you are professionally involved in the activities listed below or have questions about other activities, please consult your doctor.
| Genius PLUS | Genius PRO | Genius NANO/ADVANCED Cataract | ||
| Recreational running | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | |
| Aerobics exercises | 1 week | 1 week | 2 weeks | |
| Yoga/Pilates | 1 week | 1 week | 2 weeks | |
| Weight lifting | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | |
| Sauna and steam room | 1 month | 1 month | 2 weeks | |
| Swimming | 1 month | 1 month | 1 month | |
| Football and non-contact martial arts | 1 month | 1 month | 2 weeks | |
| Recreational running | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | |
| Skiing/snowboarding, tennis, squash, cricket | 1 month | 1 month | 2 weeks | |
| Rugby, contact martial arts | 3 months | 6 weeks | 1 month | |
| Scuba diving (30 feet and deeper) | 3 months | 3 months | 1 month | |
Protect your eyes from sweat by wearing a headband during sports activities for at least two weeks.
General recommendations
- Showering and bathing
- Avoid getting water in your eyes for the first seven days after surgery.
- When taking a shower, stand with your back to the shower one step further than usual so that you have to bend backwards into the water jet. Maintain this position while shampooing to allow the shampoo to flow away from your face and eyes.
- Tilt your head back while shampooing to avoid getting shampoo in your eyes.
- If you accidentally get shampoo, soap or other product in your eyes, DO NOT rub your eyes. You can use refreshing eyedrops to wash the product out of your eyes and relieve the burning sensation.
- Make-up
- During the first two weeks after surgery, make-up should not be applied.
- Cosmetic products such as face cream, moisturiser, foundation, concealer and blush can be used later. Do not apply these products too close to the eyes.
- It is not recommended to use waterproof mascara for at least a month after the operation, as it is more difficult to remove.
- Avoid getting any make-up or make-up remover in your eyes for a month after the surgery. If this happens, wash the product out of your eyes with a refreshing eyedrop and do not rub your eyes.
- Holidays
- It is not recommended to travel abroad within a week of the surgery, as you must be nearby to attend the first two postoperative examinations.
- When travelling to a country with a hot climate, wear high-quality sunglasses with full protection against UVA and UVB rays. Sunbathing is not recommended for one month after surgery.
- Wear high-quality sunglasses or goggles with full protection against UVA and UVB rays during winter sports.
- Reading
- Depending on your level of correction, reading small print may be difficult. This is normal and will only last a few weeks.
- Patients over the age of 45 may require presbyopic glasses. This is a natural age-related process for the eyes and may only be useful for activities that require good close vision (such as reading, sewing, knitting, etc.).
- Solariums
- Do not use sunbeds for one month after laser correction and three months after Genius NANO/ADVANCED cataract surgery.
- Smoking
- If possible, avoid smoking or being in smoky places for one week.
Additional recommendations
Genius PRO
Bandage contact lensesBandage contact lenses are mainly used after Genius PRO surgery to protect the epithelium (outer covering tissue) and reduce discomfort. To remove them, you will need to return to the clinic in 3-4 days. Sometimes patients do not tolerate bandage lenses, in which case they will have to be removed earlier. You may experience some discomfort or pain during the insertion and removal of the bandage lenses, which usually disappears within 6-24 hours. Get plenty of rest and take painkillers, but NEVER exceed the recommended dose and NEVER remove your contact lenses by yourself. Some discomfort may occur if the bandage lens falls out. In this case, do not attempt to reinsert it into the eye. Continue to use the medicinal drops as recommended and attend your postoperative appointments.
Recovery effect (clouding)
For 3-4 weeks after GENIUS PRO surgery, patients may experience mild corneal opacity. This is a normal recovery reaction for the operated area.
Corneal opacity is often mild, and most patients do not notice it. In rare cases, it disappears in 6-12 months. The risk of clouding increases with increasing doses of medication, and your doctor will advise you if this is likely. In the case of severe blurred vision, your vision may be impaired, in which case you will need to discuss the course of treatment with your doctor. In some cases, your doctor will prescribe steroid drops, which are available at any pharmacy, or other treatments.
Genius NANO and ADVANCED Cataract
- Within 2-3 weeks, redness in the eye area and flies (spots) in the eyes may appear. Remember that spots that appeared before the operation will remain after it.
- As a result of anaesthesia, the patient may experience strabismus and/or pupil dilation, which will last for one week. This can lead to temporary double vision and light sensitivity.
- Vision should be restored within a few days. In any case, the eyes will fully recover within a few months.
- Acute long-term pain in and around the eyes
- Sudden loss of vision
- Bright flashes of light followed by deterioration of vision
After the operation, you will receive a mobile phone number for emergency consultation. In case of infection, delaying treatment can lead to complications.
Our specialists will do their best for your vision.
Thousands of our patients who have regained good vision are a clear confirmation of this.
