Lasik Surgery After Care and recovery Process

The Corneal flap edges heal in around 24 hours, though patients may wear a bandage contact lens for around four days with some procedures. You will likely feel eye irritation during the first few days and will most likely experience some pain, which is manageable with painkillers. Also, the time it takes to recover good vision varies between two to seven days, depending upon the person and the procedure and the skill of the surgeon.

Recovery Process

Patients are usually asked to follow a number of steps after the procedure to ensure the best recovery possible.

Occasionally vision is immediately improved but may fluctuate for several weeks. Usually a shield is worn over the eye for a short period of time and each night for the first week until complete healing occurs, because to protect the flap, the eyes and lids can NOT be rubbed.

After surgery your doctor will schedule you for a series of follow up examination. The first post operative examination is usually within one or two days in order to remove the eye patch and assess your initial recovery. The surgeon may also wish to see you at periodic intervals throughout the next six months. Soreness, a burning or itching sensation, and the feeling that something is in your eye, are all typical for the first several hours and lessening for up to a week following surgery. Vision is usually hazy or blurry for that period, and tears or watery eyes is common.

During your LASIK recovery, your vision will seem blurry and your eyes could be watery until the cornea heals completely. Many people see clearly soon after their laser procedure, however, each patient responds differently. You may be sensitive to bright light. You may see halos, or have difficulty seeing in low levels of light. Usually these conditions dissipate within a few weeks.

Although LASIK complications can occur, most vision correction patients are able to return to work and other daily activities the next day. Glasses, if necessary, for reading and distance are not prescribed until at least two weeks following the operation.

LASIK eye surgery patients have to use medicated eye drops for one to two weeks following laser eye surgery. Lubricating drops may be required for anything from a few weeks to a few months. PRK patients will use eye drops on a decreasing level for approximately 3 to 6 months. The length of time each patient needs to use eye drops depends on their own healing response time.

LASIK and PRK can usually have very little impact on your lifestyle. Activity restrictions are generally short-term. Immediately following laser eye surgery, there are a number of activities you should refrain from doing. Do not rub your eyes. Wear high quality sunglasses. Do not drink any alcohol for at least 48 hours. No eye makeup should be worn for the first week. Spas, pools, and tanning booths should be avoided for one month. Wear protective eyewear for any work where you are at risk of flying debris.

You must wait at least three days before participating in any non-contact sports, and two months for contact sports and water sports. Do continue to gently wash around your eyes with a mild cleanser.

During recovery visits, your surgeon will assess your vision to test the outcome of the surgery. Your Doctor will also determine if your eyes are healing properly, and look for any post-procedure side effects. Follow up procedures are occasionally necessary and are performed as soon as the eye is stable but usually no earlier than two months from the original procedure.

See Types of Refractive procedures For more information about the types of Lasik Eye Surgery.

Recovery / Post Op. Expectations depends on individual circumstances.