The appeal of Lasik eye surgery is clear. The idea of never having to search blindly for your glasses again or having to take your contacts out in the middle of a long evening is just so tempting. Unfortunately, fear of the unknown prevents many people from undergoing this life-altering procedure. But how fast is Lasik recovery?
How Fast is Lasik Recovery?
At your local Irvine Lasik center the experienced staff wants you to know exactly what to expect before you decide to permanently improve your eyesight. That means understanding preparation for the procedure, the steps involved in surgery, and the reality of recovery. In this short article, we’ll focus on recovery, so you will know what the post-procedure experience is like and how long it will take.
Addressing Variations in Recovery
No two people are exactly alike, so your recovery timeline may differ based on your age, underlying conditions, and the severity of your eyesight prior to Lasik. You can always discuss these factors with your optometrist in your initial consultations to get a more detailed understanding of when the different recovery stages will occur. With that being said, there is a standard recovery timeline, and it looks like this.
The First Week After the Procedure
Your eyesight won’t be clear right away. Many patients describe their vision as “foggy” immediately afterward. You will definitely need someone to drive you home once the procedure has finished, especially since your eyes will still be partially numbed after the Lasik surgery has been completed.
Your optometrist uses a topical anesthetic to prevent you from feeling pain and discomfort during the procedure. In most cases, it starts to wear off about an hour afterward. As sensation returns, you may experience some itching and burning. You can take a pain reliever per your doctor’s instructions to help deal with this discomfort, but it’s very important to resist the urge to rub your eyes.
Once you’re at home it’s time to take a load off. It is recommended that you rest your eyes for two to four hours after surgery. Allow your eyes to close as much as needed and avoid bright lights for at least two hours. If you do go outside, you will need to wear sunglasses. On average you can expect sensitivity to light, dry eye, and some abnormal vision effects such as a visible halo for the first week after the procedure.
The First Month After the Procedure
You will typically have your first post-op appointment with your optometrist one or two days after the procedure. It’s a chance for your doctor to make sure everything is healing as expected. After this point, you should be ok to shower, but you will need to avoid your eye area.
You should not touch your eyes at all for at least a week. That is, unless you are applying eye drops provided to help you deal with post-op dry eye. They are very sensitive at this time, so you want to keep chemicals and bacteria far away from them. That means no soap, cleansers, or makeup on your eyes for at least a week. Ignoring these instructions could result in an incredibly harmful infection.
In addition to going “cold turkey” on all eye products, you should avoid any strenuous exercise for at least a week. You may choose to play contact sports, lift, or take part in any other strenuous activity. Then take common-sense precautions to protect your eyes.
Achieving Complete Recovery
On average, it takes patients between three and sixth months to fully recover from Lasik eye surgery. During that time, you will need to do everything you can to protect your eyes from potential harm. However, if you’re looking at laser eye surgery in Orange County, then the staff at Advanced Eye Medical can help you determine what your personal recovery may look like during your initial consultation.