The doctor’s aim is to maximise your correctable refractive error. However, if your cornea is thin or your refractive error exceeds –10D (if you are myopic or short-sighted) or +6D (if you are hyperopic or far-sighted), a residual refractive error may remain. Patients over the age of forty develop a loss of accommodation for near vision (the so-called presbyopia), which cannot be corrected with LASIK or LASEK. These patients are forced to wear reading glasses.

Here are the most important rules to follow after laser vision correction surgery:

• Do not drive for the rest of the day of surgery.
• Wear eye shields over your eyes before going to bed for the first 7 days after surgery. Do not rub your eyes.
• Wear sunglasses for the rest of the day of surgery and for a few days after surgery.
• For 2 months after surgery avoid swimming and do not stay in sunlight or on a sun bed without wearing sunglasses.
• For 1 month after surgery avoid places full of dust and/or smoke.
• Reduce the time spent in front of the computer screen during the first few days after surgery. Wear special computer glasses with an anti-reflex coating when working in front of the computer or when reading from the computer screen.
• Do not wear makeup for 2 weeks after surgery.
• Avoid contact with sick persons.