What Happens After You’ve Had Your Lasik Surgery?
Most people describe the feeling after lasik surgery as having sand in their eyes. Your eyes may even burn or itch quite a bit. In some cases the discomfort may require a mild pain reliever. It’s very important you don’t rub your eyes, even though they may be begging you to do so, because you may dislodge the cornea flap. Remember no stitches are there to hold it in place. You also may notice your eyes are very sensitive to bright lights.
Before you know it all this irritation will be gone and you’ll be well on your way to a full recovery. Sometimes it only takes 3 or 4 days before you feel better. Don’t take any chances. If you feel your recovery isn’t going well, call your doctor. These are your eyes and you can’t be too careful. Call your doctor immediately if things begin to feel more irritated or painful than the day before. It’s probably best to schedule a few vacation or sick days.
Even if your eyes are healing properly, you’ll most likely be seeing your doctor before the first week is over. This is just a precautionary follow-up visit to make sure things are fine. Expect to have regular eye exams over the next few months as your doctor watches the healing process closely.
One of the things you can do to help sooth your eyes and speed up the healing process is use some sort of eye drops. Make sure you ask your doctor about these before you even go in for surgery. If you’re a swimmer or other water sport, plan on taking a few weeks off. There’s no way you want to get your eyes near any type of water until they’ve healed.
During the 1st month after surgery you’re going to want to keep all of your sports activity as mild as possible. That doesn’t mean you have to give up working out, just don’t engage in anything that might be considered a contact sport. At least for the first 4 weeks. You can typically begin non-contact activity after the first week.
Assuming you’re taking proper precautions with your eyes, what can you expect in regard to your vision? It’s not unusual for your vision to take 3-6 months to return to their relaxed normal station. You may also experience a glare at night which can become very distracting. Make sure you consult with your doctor before driving at night.
To make sure there are no problems while your eyes are healing, be aware of whats happening and phone your doctor at the first sign that things aren’t getting better. There is a chance of infection with any surgery, so don’t overlook the symptoms.
