Recovering from LASIK

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Recovering From LASIK: What You Need to Know

LASIK is one of the most popular corrective vision surgeries worldwide. Most patients considering LASIK have questions regarding the length of the recovery time, and what to expect while they heal. Here’s a list of things you need to know about recovering from your LASIK surgery, as well as tips for healing properly:

What to Expect During LASIK Recovery

  • Plan on having someone drive you home the day of the procedure, as you will be unable to drive yourself.
  • Following your LASIK procedure, you may experience some pain for 2 – 4 hours. Once you’re home, it’s advised to take a long nap. It’s common for patients to wake up with their discomfort alleviated. However, you should be prepared to deal with the feeling of having something stuck in your eye. Due to this, it is important to avoid rubbing your eyes, to prevent dislodging the corneal flaps.
  • It’s not uncommon for patients to experience dark spots in the white of their eyes following a LASIK procedure. The spots are similar to bruising and should dissipate a couple of days after the procedure. In addition, some patients will also experience some redness during their LASIK recovery.
  • Nearly 50% of patients who receive LASIK surgery experience dry eye during recovery. The dry eye symptoms should only last for a few days following the surgery, and your surgeon will prescribe eye drops to help combat the dryness. In addition, you should also be given eye drops that help alleviate inflammation and infection. It’s important to only use the eye drops that are prescribed to you, as over-the-counter artificial tears may actually exacerbate your dry eye symptoms or even cause infection.

Postoperative Care

  • Following your LASIK procedure, you will receive plastic eye shields to prevent you from rubbing your eyes. You should wear these eye shields when you’re sleeping for 4 – 5 nights following your LASIK procedure. If you have small children or pets that also sleep with you, you should leave your eye shields on for up to 10 nights.
  • Do not wear eye makeup, eye makeup remover, or use any eye creams while recovering, as they may cause infection or inflammation should they get into your eyes.
  • You should also avoid activities such as dusting or yard work, where airborne particles may enter your eye and cause irritation as well.
  • You should avoid the potential of getting soap or water in your eyes for up to 2 weeks following your procedure.
  • LASIK patients may experience discomfort when staring at digital screens for extended periods of time, especially those who suffer from dry eye symptoms. Due to this, it is recommended that LASIK patients take frequent breaks when using digital devices for up to two weeks following their surgery.
  • You should be able to return to your regular exercise regimen a few days after your LASIK procedure; however, avoid participating in contact sports like football for at least two weeks due to the risk of eye injury.

Other Things to Know

  • You should avoid going swimming or hot tubbing for up to two weeks after your LASIK procedure. This is particularly the case with chlorinated water, which can cause serious post-operative issues if it enters your corneal flaps.
  • Be prepared for your vision to be a bit hazy or blurry after your LASIK procedure. Most patients will experience blurred vision for up to two weeks after their procedure. However, the higher your prescription was prior to the procedure, the longer it will take for your vision to clear when you’re recovering.
  • It’s important to see your eye care professional the day after your procedure, so that you can discuss any of the postoperative symptoms and set up a follow up appointment schedule. Usually, you will need to see your eye care professional one month, three months, and six months after your procedure in order to monitor your healing and end results.
  • Due to the reshaping of your cornea, it is not uncommon for LASIK patients to experience fluctuation in vision. However, you should make your eye care professional aware of these fluctuations at your follow up appointments. These fluctuations can last anywhere from a few days to a few months following your procedure, so be sure to speak to your eye care professional about what to expect before the surgery.

LASIK with Dr. Ghosheh

With these LASIK recovery tips in mind, you can walk confidently into your procedure and your postoperative care to ensure optimal results. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Ghosheh today to discuss your eye care needs, questions, and concerns. Learn what LASIK OC can do for you, and feel free to contact the eye care specialists at Advanced Eye Medical for information and advice.