Clearer vision without needing glasses or contacts after LASIK eye surgery is incredibly safe, leading to a higher quality of life for candidates. How long does it take to recover from LASIK eye surgery? Will I experience any pain? What should I do to prepare for my LASIK recovery? A timeline and some tips to help you recover after LASIK eye surgery are discussed, along with the ten most common things that patients may experience.
Generalized aching and mild pain
During the first four hours following LASIK eye surgery, most patients report discomfort, such as burning, tearing, and sensitivity to light. Depending on the technology used and how your eyes react, this may be barely noticeable or highly bothersome, but it should only last two to four hours. In the wake of LASIK eye surgery: You’ll want to arrange for a ride home. As soon as you get home, lay down for a lengthy nap. The first four hours following LASIK eye surgery are the most uncomfortable, but by the eighth hour, it’s as if someone flipped a switch and the pain disappeared. Most patients report minimal to no discomfort upon waking, and many reports seeing improvements in their vision. Although your eyesight will progressively improve, you should expect to feel like something is in your eye. The corneal flap needs to heal before you can see again after LASIK, so you mustn’t rub your eyes during this time.
Application of Lubricating and Prescription Eye Drops
You will be given eye drops to use before your LASIK procedure. In all cases, heed your surgeon’s advice. After LASIK eye surgery, you must use preservative-free lubricating drops and the prescribed drops for several days to prevent inflammation and infection. As well as preventing permanent damage to your cornea, using the prescribed lubricating drops as directed is crucial for combating temporary dryness of the eyes. You’ll need to use the lubricating drops for a while, but each week the dosage will decrease slightly.
Appointments for Further Care
Your first post-LASIK appointment will be scheduled the day after your surgery, and during this time, your corneas and vision will be examined to ensure proper healing. You can also bring up any postoperative concerns you have with your LASIK doctor now. Over the next year, you will need follow-up appointments with your LASIK surgeon. Your LASIK surgeon can easily detect any issues before they manifest, so checking your corneas is essential even if you think your vision is fine. Dr. Mozayeni and Dr. Nunnery at Providence Eye make it a point to check in with every LASIK patient after surgery to ensure they are satisfied with the results.
Things to Keep in Mind
You’ll probably have perfect vision and be itching to return to your routine. However, remember that your corneas are still healing and require special attention. This is why you should steer clear of these things:
The first week after LASIK:
If you wear eye makeup, you should avoid dust, smoke, yard work, and eye makeup.
You may take a regular shower, but you should avoid getting soap or water in your eyes.
Don’t go for a swim, use a hot tub, or put your head underwater for the first two weeks after your LASIK eye surgery. If you spend much time at a computer, take regular breaks and use your lubricating drops. Eager to get your new eyesight to work for you in the gym? Not at all! Our LASIK surgeons, Drs. Mozayeni and Nunnery tell their patients that they can return to regular exercise routines after about two days. However, they should take extra care to protect their eyes from injury during contact sports or ball games. Will give you detailed post-LASIK written instructions, outlining everything you need to do and avoiding anything you shouldn’t.
Using Eye Protection While Sleeping:
Taking care of the corneal flap right after eye surgery is crucial. Soon after your LASIK procedure is finished: You will have clear plastic shields taped over your eyes to protect and keep you from rubbing your eyes. Keep the shields on until morning unless you need to put eye drops in your eyes. Keep your eye shields on during the first four to five nights after LASIK surgery (or whenever you are sleeping). For ten nights, shields should be worn by a pet anytime, or a small child shares your bed.
Don’t use eye creams or cosmetics around your eyes.
Patients undergoing LASIK surgery should go without eye makeup on the day of their procedure and for the following week. Never get lotion in your eyes; apply it with gentle, circular motions. You will probably accidentally get some eye makeup or cream in your watch if you put it around your eyes. This may lead to a rise in inflammation, increasing pain, infection, or postoperative complications. Water is the best way to maintain your skin’s moisture balance. Water intake should be increased by a few glasses per day when the body is under stress, such as when sick or recovering from surgery. Your eye area should now be excellent and hydrated, thanks to this!
No Hot Tubbing or Swimming Allowed
It would help if you resisted the temptation to relax in the pool or hot tub, as strong as it may be. After LASIK eye surgery, patients must wait two weeks before returning to the collection, per the recommendations of both Drs. Mozayeni and Nunnery. Eye irritation and possible complications post-surgery are two side effects of swimming in chlorinated water. This is the case with any body of water, be it a swimming pool, hot tub, the open sea, a lake, or a pond. These precautions aim to keep your corneas healthy and free of infection.
The vision that is fuzzy, hazy, or cloudy and that flickers
Your vision should be normal the day after your procedure, but it is common to experience blurring or haziness for the next week. The longer it takes for your vision to clear after LASIK surgery, the higher your original prescription was.
After LASIK eye surgery, it is normal for some degree of vision fluctuation to be experienced. Your surgeon can fill you in on what to expect after LASIK surgery. It would help if you waited for your corneas to completely stabilize after reshaping them before your vision remains stable and precise. Therefore, it is possible to experience glare, haloes, and difficulty driving after sunset in the days, weeks, and sometimes months following LASIK eye surgery. Tell your LASIK surgeon everything you’re feeling, no matter how insignificant you think it is. When it comes to your healing, there are no silly questions.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from LASIK Surgery?
We left this for last because it is impossible to predict how long it will take to get better. Within 24 hours of their LASIK surgery, most patients are given the all-clear to drive. However, as we’ve alluded to above, this depends on several factors, including your preexisting prescription, the technology used during your LASIK procedure, and your response to the procedure. Your eyes should begin healing immediately, and if you stick to our post-op plan, you should feel much better in no time. Please read our blog post on the typical LASIK recuperation period for more details.
Take what you’ve learned about what to expect after LASIK eye surgery to your consultation with your eye doctor to have a more in-depth discussion about everything related to laser correction.
