Looking After Yourself After LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK is an eye surgery that involves the creation of a thin, hinged flap in the cornea of the eye. Then, a laser is used to modify and reshape corneal tissue to help resolve refractive vision problems, improving vision and reducing the need for glasses and contacts. 21 million patients had received LASIK as of 2015. Like with most popular surgeries, LASIK patients often have questions about their recovery after their LASIK eye surgery.
How Long Does LASIK Recovery Take?
Recovery typically only takes a few days, though patients that need very significant vision correction may take up to a week to recover. Results are also not instantaneous and may take up to several days to become apparent. Your ophthalmologist may provide temporary glasses or contacts for you to wear while you heal. Patients may experience some redness or spotting in their eyes, similar to bruising, for a day or two after their LASIK eye surgery. This will appear in both the appearance of their eyes and in their vision, but will not continue.
Is Medication Necessary During Recovery From LASIK?
Ophthalmologists usually prescribe two sets of eye drops for patients to administer themselves following their LASIK procedure. The first set prevents inflammation and infection, while the second set prevents dryness of the eyes. These drops may cause slight burning or pain when applied, but this abates quickly. After your LASIK eye surgery, do not use any medication or eye drops that were not provided or recommended by your LASIK eye surgeon.
Is LASIK Recovery Painful?
The LASIK procedure itself is virtually painless and uses a topical anesthetic applied through eye drops, as well as a possible mild sedative. Patients may experience some discomfort in the first 24 hours after their LASIK eye surgery in the form of dryness or the feeling of sand in the eye, but all discomfort should have faded by 24 hours following the LASIK eye procedure. As stated before, patients may experience some discomfort when administering their prescribed eye drops.
Some evidence shows that resting the eyes for a few hours following LASIK eye surgery can make recovery easier, faster, and less painful. Patients should be careful not to rub their eyes to prevent further pain or damage.
How Does LASIK Change Vision?
Many LASIK patients may experience blurry vision up to a few days after their LASIK eye surgery, but 99 percent of LASIK patients do not need to use glasses or contacts for long distance vision after their LASIK eye surgery. A few patients need to continue to use glasses or contacts for up close work like reading.
Do I Need to Follow Up with My Eye Surgeon After My LASIK Surgery?
While specific requirements for follow up vary from patient to patient and surgeon to surgeon, follow up visits are almost always required so that the eye surgeon can check the progress of the patient’s healing process. The first follow up is usually a day or two after their LASIK eye surgery. Later follow ups will occur at regular intervals for the first six months following the LASIK procedure.
What Makes a Good LASIK Doctor?
Just like with any other eye procedure, or medical procedure in general, a good ophthalmologist for LASIK eye surgery is experienced and passionate about his or her branch of medicine. He or she should have excellent patient reviews and should make you, the patient, feel comfortable and informed during your consultation.
Doctors R.K. Ghosheh and Faris Ghosheh at Advanced Eye Medical are experienced ophthalmologists with a passion for helping patients get the best vision possible. They, along with our team of optometrists, can help make sure you feel ready for your LASIK eye surgery procedure. If you or a loved one are interested in LASIK surgery in Orange County or curious about whether this eye procedure can help you, don’t wait to act. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment.