Quick Answer
To prepare for LASIK: stop wearing soft contact lenses at least 2 weeks before your evaluation (rigid lenses require 3–4+ weeks), arrange a driver for surgery day, avoid eye makeup and lotions on the day of surgery, confirm all medication use with your surgeon, and follow all pre-operative instructions provided by your practice. The single most important preparation step is accurate pre-operative corneal measurement — which contact lenses directly compromise.
Detailed Explanation
LASIK preparation begins weeks before the procedure, not the night before. The steps are specific, sequential, and meaningful — each one exists because it affects either the accuracy of your surgical planning or the safety of your recovery.
Step 1: Stop wearing contact lenses (the most critical step)
Contact lenses physically reshape the cornea. A rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lens pressed against the corneal surface for months or years creates a subtle but measurable change in corneal curvature. Soft lenses have a less pronounced but still real effect. If lenses are worn up to the day of evaluation, the corneal measurements taken during pre-operative testing will reflect the lens-induced shape — not your natural corneal topography.
This leads to inaccurate treatment planning and, potentially, a suboptimal surgical outcome.
Recommended contact lens discontinuation periods before your pre-operative evaluation:
| Lens Type | Minimum Discontinuation | |—|—| | Daily disposable soft lenses | 2 weeks | | Monthly/biweekly soft lenses | 2 weeks | | Toric (astigmatism) soft lenses | 2–3 weeks | | Soft extended-wear lenses | 2 weeks | | Rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses | 3–4 weeks minimum | | Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) lenses | 1–3 months depending on duration of wear | | Scleral lenses | 2–4 weeks |
If you have worn RGP lenses for many years, your surgeon may request follow-up topography measurements to confirm your cornea has returned to its natural shape before scheduling your procedure.
Step 2: Gather and organize your prescription history
Bring 2–3 years of glasses or contact lens prescription records to your consultation. Your surgeon needs to see the trend, not just the current number. Documented stability is one of the most important pieces of information in your file.
Step 3: Disclose all medications
Certain medications can affect LASIK candidacy or healing:
- Corticosteroids: Long-term steroid use can affect intraocular pressure and healing response
- Isotretinoin (Accutane): Must be discontinued for 6–12 months before LASIK due to effects on wound healing and dry eye
- Amiodarone: Can cause corneal deposits; typically a contraindication
- Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil): Associated with retinal effects; discuss with surgeon
- Immunosuppressants: Affect healing and infection resistance
- Blood thinners: May affect healing and bruising, though minor for corneal procedures
Disclose everything — including supplements, herbals, and topical eye medications.
Step 4: Address dry eye before surgery
If you have a history of dry eye, your surgeon may recommend pre-operative treatment to optimize tear film quality before your procedure. This typically involves:
- Preservative-free artificial tears several times daily for 2–4 weeks
- Omega-3 supplementation (fish oil or flaxseed oil)
- Warm compresses for meibomian gland dysfunction
- Prescription eye drops (cyclosporine or lifitegrast) in moderate cases
Pre-treating dry eye significantly reduces post-operative dry eye severity.
Step 5: Arrange your surgery day logistics
- Driver: You cannot drive on surgery day under any circumstances. Arrange this in advance.
- Day off work: Plan for the procedure day plus at least one additional day of rest. Most patients can return to desk work within 2 days.
- Recovery supplies: Stock these before surgery day:
- Prescribed antibiotic drops (obtain before surgery)
- Preservative-free artificial tears (large supply — you will use them frequently)
- Eye shields for sleeping (typically provided by the practice)
- Mild over-the-counter pain reliever if desired
- Audiobooks or podcasts for screen-free recovery time
- Sunglasses for post-procedure light sensitivity
Step 6: Day-of preparation
On the day of surgery:
- No makeup, lotions, perfume, or aftershave around the face and eye area. These can interfere with the sterile field and leave residue that the laser can detect
- Clean your face thoroughly before leaving home
- Eat normally (LASIK does not require fasting)
- Wear comfortable clothing — you will be lying on a procedure table; avoid turtlenecks or anything constricting near the neck
- Leave contacts out (you should already be past your discontinuation period)
- Arrive early — check-in and pre-op preparation take 30–45 minutes before you enter the laser suite
Step 7: Know your post-operative responsibilities
Preparation extends into recovery. Before your procedure, confirm:
- Your post-operative appointment is already scheduled (day after surgery)
- You understand the drop schedule for the first week
- You know the warning signs that require immediate contact with your surgeon (sudden sharp pain, significant vision loss, severe redness)
LASIK Surgery Awards evaluates practices on the quality of their pre-operative counseling — because a well-prepared patient has significantly better outcomes than one who receives minimal instruction.
Important Considerations
Do not adjust your preparation timeline based on inconvenience. Wearing glasses full-time for 2–4 weeks before your evaluation is inconvenient. It is also non-negotiable for accurate corneal measurement. Cutting this short is one of the most common patient-side preparation failures.
Ask for written instructions. Your surgeon’s office should provide written pre- and post-operative instructions. If they do not, ask for them. You should not be relying on memory for drop schedules and activity restrictions.
Bring support to your surgery day. The waiting period before a procedure is stressful for many patients. Having a supportive companion in the waiting room — even if they cannot enter the procedure suite with you — is genuinely helpful.
What to Do Next
1. Calculate your contact lens discontinuation date based on your lens type and your target surgery date. Mark it on your calendar. 2. Request your prescription history from your current eye doctor. 3. Review your current medication list with your surgeon at consultation. 4. Arrange your surgery-day driver before booking your procedure.
For the specific sequence of what happens on surgery day, read How Long Does LASIK Surgery Take?.
Related Questions
Wondering what to expect from the first few days of recovery? Read Does LASIK Hurt During or After the Procedure? for a detailed description of the immediate post-operative experience.
Curious about when you can resume specific activities like driving and makeup? See How Soon Can I Drive After LASIK? and Can I Wear Makeup After LASIK?.
Trying to find a surgeon whose pre-operative process is thorough enough to trust? Read What to Look for in a LASIK Surgeon.