My PRK Surgery Journey | Post Surgery Update and a Delicious Blueberry Mango Smoothie Recipe

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This post is in partnership with EyeCare 20/20. All opinions are my own.

Having an eye surgery like PRK is a big investment into yourself. Whether you had it done already or are just thinking of getting it done, once your vision is great without your contact lenses or your glasses, you’ll want to do everything you can to keep your vision in tip top shop. So eating healthy, simple meals was a priority for me after the surgery. Since I didn’t know what I’d be like after the procedure, I planned ahead and prepped several different lunch and dinners to make it easy on my husband and kids. For breakfast, I prepped these Blueberry Mango Smoothies in freezer bags, so my oldest could whip up a smoothie for me (or for the kids as a snack). Since our diet plays a pivotal role in our overall health, including our eye health, what we eat and drink can help keep our eyes seeing great for years to come and after having PRK, I wanted to make sure I was eating plenty of eye healthy dishes. This Blueberry Mango Smoothie is packed full of delicious sources of vitamins that help prevent damage to our eyes plus it tastes delicious anytime of the day. More on the smoothie in a bit, but first let’s talk about how the surgery went.

One of the things that surprised me most with my PRK Eye SurgeryPRK Eye Surgery was how easy the surgery was. Truth be told, my nerves kicked into high gear right before it was time for Dr. Silverman to see me. Once I was in the room and the procedure was ready to start, I think the valium kicked in because it was almost like a wave of relief came over me.

The laser portion only took seconds, if that. It was really, really quick. No pain, no nothing just the smell. It smelled just like when my hair gets in the burned in the curling iron and even the smell was gone in a few seconds. The whole thing was over before I knew it and I was on my way home.  When you think of lasering your eyes, it’s a little overwhelming but it was such a smooth and easy procedure, I haven’t stopped raving about it to anyone who will listen.

After the surgery, I was surprised by how well I saw right away. Now it wasn’t 20/20 vision but I could see fairly well. Before the surgery, if I didn’t have my contacts in, I couldn’t see at all. So the fact that I could already see what was around me was amazing.

Now, Dr. Silverman and his staff did tell me that it would get worse before it got better and they were right. Days 2, 3 and 4 were rough. While I didn’t have any pain, my eyes were very sensitive to the light and by day 3, it was hard to see since my vision was so blurry.

It was to the point that I spent the entire weekend in my family room with blankets hung at the windows and all the lights off. The slightest bit of light really bothered my eyes.

It gradually got better though and every day it was a little more bearable. After about a week I was back to walking around, cooking, etc. just with my sunglasses on. While things were still blurry, it was improving everyday just very slightly.

PRK is definitely not like regular LASIK where you see perfectly the next day. It’s definitely been a process getting to where I am today and while it’s been virtually pain free, the light sensitivity and blurriness plus computer issues I’ve experienced over the last 8 weeks have been something I needed to adjust to.

In the days after my PRK surgery when my eyes were still pretty sensitive to the light, I needed a quick and easy breakfast option like this smoothie so I wasn’t spending extra time in my bright kitchen.

Since I regularly make smoothies for breakfast or snacks for the kids, I love to play around with different flavor combinations. This smoothie is packed full of blueberries and peaches which are great sources of Vitamins C and E. The mango is packed full of  Vitamin A.

I added flaxseeds which are one of the very best sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. The fatty acids help regulate the fluid retention and flow in our bodies, preventing dry eye and normalizing eye pressure to reduce the risk of glaucoma.

Just about every smoothie recipe I make contains spinach. Spinach is great for providing us with zinc and that enables  our bodies to utilize Vitamin A to protect the cornea and fight infections.

So not only are the fruits and veggies in this smoothie beneficial to our eye healthy but they provide other healthy benefits as well. Plus did I mention it tastes delicious?

Blend all ingredients together on high until everything is pureed and mixed together. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Want to learn more about my PRK Surgery visit THIS POST to see why I decided to change my life with PRK Eye Surgery by Dr. Silverman at EyeCare 20/20. 

Dawn