You took the exciting leap to get LASIK surgery to free your eyes to see, so what’s next? You know LASIK is the most popular refractive surgery in the U.S., correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Blade-Free All-Laser LASIK at Mann Eye Institute is fast, completed within 10-15 minutes for both eyes. You will typically see improved vision, without eyeglasses or contacts, effectively within 24 hours, making recovery time for LASIK pretty quick. As a precaution, you will need someone to drive you home after LASIK but most people feel well enough to drive themselves to their next-day post-op exam, where they will be cleared to resume most normal activities.
Recovery Time For LASIK
After the numbing drops wear off (about 20 minutes), the length of your discomfort (if any) immediately after LASIK is minimal. Depending on how your eyes react, you may temporarily experience a mild blurring, burning, itching or tearing in the eyes. For this reason, we recommend you take a nap in the hours following LASIK surgery.
Clarity returns by the next day with incremental improvements and full-sight stabilization within a few days. You should be able to return to work the next day with no problems. Only rarely will you be advised to take a couple days of rest.
When you get home directly after LASIK, follow doctor’s orders:
- Sleep for at least 2 hours afterwards
- Take any prescribed antibiotic medications or eye drops
- Do not—very important— fuss with or rub your eyes during recovery time for LASIK
- Limit any heavy, regimented exercise routine for a good week. However light exercise like walking is permitted
- Avoid swimming, hot tubs and saunas—showers are fine, but no direct water shots to the eyes
- Avoid application of heavy eye makeup
Your doctor may opt to give you protective eye shields or goggles to wear when sleeping the first week, another deterrent to keep you from inadvertently rubbing your eyes.
The first couple of weeks after your recovery time for LASIK may bring slight annoyances such as the feeling of an eyelash in your eye. This is normal. And you can flush your eyes with artificial tears. Also, use the prescribed lubricating eye drops usually 3-4 times per day for moisture and prevention of dry eye. Sunglasses may also be suggested outdoors to block sensitivity to light. In fact, polarized sunglasses are recommended to protect 100% of ultra-violet (UV) rays from your LASIK eyes. Always consult your Mann Eye Institute doctor with any post-op issues. We are here for you!
Ninety-six percent (96%) of people are seeing 20/20 or better after having LASIK at Mann Eye Institute. Read some of their stories by clicking here! But since healing is different for everyone, we would be remiss to not mention the rare cases (4%) where patients may need a LASIK enhancement after normal recovery time and we can easily handle that here.
Focus On Fun!
Now that the do’s and don’ts are out of the way, let’s focus on the fun stuff of life that Houston LASIK affords you without glasses or contacts! You will be singing and seeing things a different way. This, right here, sums it up:
“I can see very well
There’s a boat on the reef with a broken back
And I can see it very well…”
(credit: Elton John, Madman Across The Water)
Here is just a sampling of 10 things that make LASIK a life-changer:
- The world around you is more vivid, near and far (details are more clear in artwork, nature, people, culture, multimedia and more)
- Read a book in good light or a menu in a dimly lit restaurant—bring on the tiny print!
- Enjoy sports at all levels—amateur, recreational or daredevil speed
- Play board games with renewed assurance that you will be kicking butt and taking names
- See your kid score that winning tennis shot
- Run to the grocery store and actually read labels that support your health initiatives
- Finely chop all the vegetables you’re prepping and enjoy the bountiful colors without risk of slicing a finger
- Find a $50 dollar bill in your wallet, you know, the one you thought was 5 bucks
- Chill at the beach, whale and dolphin watch, with toes in sand and drink in hand
- See the tiny dancer at that Elton John concert
- Bonus, #11: Ignore the wrinkles or flaws you can now identify in the mirror. This is the new you!
The best part about LASIK surgery is that you are now living without restrictions. At Mann Eye Institute, our team of experienced physicians and highly trained staff is dedicated to helping you See Life Better. Ready to See Life Better? Give us a call at 800-MY-VISION or click here to schedule your complimentary consultation. Visit our locations pages for more information on LASIK in Austin and the surrounding areas.