Any surgery can be a little nerve-wracking— even a relatively minor elective procedure like LASIK. Many people are nervous before LASIK surgery as they know they will be awake and will have surgery on their eyes using a laser. During surgery, you will be awake, but your eyes will be completely numbed, meaning you won’t feel anything during the procedure. Knowing all of this, it’s still perfectly normal to feel nervous. Here are just a few things you can do to calm your nerves before your LASIK procedure.
Exercise
Doing any kind of physically active activity like running or biking is a good way to relieve anxiety in general. Exercising releases endorphins, and endorphins will make you feel calmer and happier. Before surgery, you may want to have a light workout the day before, or even the morning before. It’ll also help you sleep better the night before, which will help make the procedure easier to get through. A good night’s sleep can make all the difference when it comes to reducing anxiety!
Listen To Music
Music tends to calm people down, especially if it’s music that they enjoy and have a connection to. On the way to your surgery, ask whoever is driving you to play some of your favorite jams in the car. You can also quietly listen to music with headphones on while you sit in the waiting room. Listening to something familiar can help distract your brain and calm any nervous thoughts that may pop up in the waiting room.
Breathe Deeply
Deep breathing is a very common anxiety-relieving technique for a good reason! Irregular breathing can worsen your anxiety and make you feel more anxious. Taking even, calm breaths helps your body stay even and calm. It can help to make sure you’re breathing regularly and not just taking deep breaths of different lengths. To help keep your breath even and focus on your breathing, count when you breathe in, and then count as you release your breath. You can also hold your breath for a second or two. There are lots of different breathing techniques that you can find tutorials for online. Do a little research to find what technique works best for you.
Ask Your Doctor Questions
In situations that make us feel anxious, it’s usually because we are unsure what is going to happen. When we know what to expect, the knowledge can be a huge stress reliever. It’s important to ask your doctor to tell you exactly what will happen during your surgery so you’ll know and be prepared. Knowing what’s going to happen next when you’re having surgery will help put your mind at ease. If you tell your doctor you’re nervous before your surgery, you can also ask if they can give you medicine to help you relax. A mild sedative can sometimes be administered during surgery— talk to your doctor before your surgery date to find out what will work best for you.
Want to learn more about LASIK? Contact New England Eye Center today to schedule a consultation at one of our locations.
