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Recovery After LASIK Eye Surgery?

How many days does it take to recover from LASIK eye surgery? Can you have it on a Friday and go back to work on Monday?

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by Eva S in Seattle, WA

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Downtime after LASIK

The majority of patients who have LASIK on a Friday are driving the next day and back to work on Monday. The only restrictions are to be a little extra careful with exceptional exercise(basketball, marathons, swimming,etc) for about a week or so. Your surgeon should give you a very thorough instruction list of "do's and don'ts" for the first one to two weeks. LASIK patients are a very active group, so we don't hold you down very long. Air travel if fine after... more

Anthony J. Kameen, MD

Baltimore Ophthalmologist

www.kameen.com

WOW effect after LASIK

The initial healing after LASIK is so fast that it has been termed the "wow" effect because so many patients say "wow I can see already." This is from the fact that the flap only needs to heal at the edges, and the central vision part of the cornea is not disturbed. Although the initial healing is fast, so that most patients achieve close to 20/20 vision in less than 24 hours, sometimes it can take longer for the vision to stabilize. In addition, the vision can... more

Recovery after LASIK surgery

I typically tell patients they will see well enough to drive and go back to work the very next day. Hard to believe, but true. Of course, there are rare exceptions, more common with extremely severe preop prescriptions. If your job entails exposure to chemicals, or very dusty and dirty places, I recommend taking a day or two off. I tell patients to avoid swimming for two weeks, and to avoid rubbing the eyes for a month. Vision can vary for a few weeks to a few months as the cornea heals,... more

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LASIK recovery

For LASIK surgery (creating a flap) you can typically expect several hours of slightly blurred vision immediately after the surgery. This can be accompanied by some minor stinging or tearing. By the next morning most people are seeing very well and have little discomfort. Night time glare can be an issue for days to weeks but typically resolves quickly. Mild dry eye is also typically encountered for a couple months after the procedure. If the surface treatment is used (no flap), the... more

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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.