LASIK is a successful surgery designed to improve your vision and free you from glasses! But it is a surgery, which means that there is still a recovery time associated with it. Recovery from LASIK isn’t complicated and is mostly painless. At most, it means you have to put in a little extra effort to keep your eyes in good shape.
Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect after you have LASIK!
Immediately Following Surgery
Right after LASIK, you will need to rest in the office for a short bit before you can go home. When you can leave, you won’t be able to drive yourself home, as your vision may still be a bit blurry. Make sure to schedule a ride home from the clinic before your surgery date.
When you get home, you will more than likely be exhausted. It is a good idea to sleep as much as you need to. This is the best way to start your recovery and the healing process! While you’re sleeping, be sure to wear the eye shields provided to you.
They fit on your face to prevent you from accidentally rubbing or bumping your eyes in your sleep. Rubbing your eyes at any point during your recovery is a bad idea. It can cause pain and complications to your vision, so it is important to resist the temptation to do so.
You can combat any itchiness you will experience by using eye drops. Use them before you feel the need to do so. If your eyes are itchy, that means they are already dry and exposed to bacteria. Having a protective layer of tears is essential to maintaining healthy eyes.
This is especially true while they are prone to infection after LASIK. You can also expect to experience some mild pain and discomfort at the beginning of recovery. This is normal and expected as the numbing eye drops wear off after LASIK.
Any pain and discomfort should subside after a few days. If you experience severe pain, you should contact your doctor immediately.
The First Weeks
Your eyes are the most vulnerable after surgery during the first weeks of recovery. Rubbing them can cause complications but you need to be extra careful as well. Even something as simple as bending over or heavy lifting can cause your eye pressure to spike. If this happens, it could cause complications.
This means no exercise, sports, or excessive household chores. In fact, you should expect to do nothing but some reading or watching television for a few days. Soon enough, you will be able to go back to work and resume most of your normal activities.
You will need to go back to see your LASIK surgeon for a follow-up exam within 48 hours of the surgery. This is so your doctor can track down any problems that might arise. If there are any, it’s better to catch them before they evolve into larger issues. You will likely be asked to come in several more times throughout your recovery.
The End of Recovery
Your doctor will let you know when it is okay to go back to normal life. Until then, continue to be extra careful with your eyes! Schedule a LASIK consultation at New York Eye Specialists in NYC to learn more and see if you’re a candidate!
