Many folks have this illusion that Lasik eye surgery is an immediate, foolproof and permanent way to fix your eyesight. While Lasik may work well for some folks, the fact of the matter is that not everyone is a good candidate. For those that are good candidates for Lasik eye surgery, you need to recognize that there is a period of recovery that you’ll have to endure while you wait for your eyes to heal. While the procedure is safe and relatively common, it is still surgery and carries a variety of risks. In addition, it takes time for your vision to normalize after your surgery.
Here are some things that you should expect after you have Lasik eye surgery:
- Right after your Lasik eye surgery, your eyes are likely to burn or itch. Many patients complain that it feels like there is something in their eye. Your eyes might water or tear up, and it’s likely that your vision is going to be blurry and hazy.
- Your instinct is going to be to rub your eye, but it’s important you don’t do it. If you do, you could cause a problem with the surgery, and need to have an additional procedure.
- You’re likely to be sensitive to light, have a glare, see starburst or see haloes around lights for some time after your surgery. For most folks, these particular symptoms will disappear within a few days. You will want to take a few days off from work until your symptoms subside.
- You’ll have a follow-up appointment with your doctor about 24 to 48 hours after your surgery, and then on a regular basis after that for at least six months. At that first visit after the Lasik eye surgery, your doctor is going to remove your eye shield, test out your vision and check out your eye. It’s likely that she’ll give you some eye drops to reduce inflammation and to prevent infection.
- You may be advised to use artificial tears for some time after your surgery in order to help your eye stay lubricated.
- It can take anywhere from three to six months after Lasik eye surgery for your vision to stabilize.
