8 Things to Expect During Laser Eye Surgery Recovery

What will my recovery from laser eye surgery look like, is something people frequently ask. Most are curious about what they can expect in the hours and days post-surgery and want to plan for any changes they may need to make life easier. For most people, the visual recovery from laser eye surgery is short. Vision improvements are almost immediate, making room for a positive recovery from laser eye surgery. However, there are a few things to note to ensure the long-term outcome is the best possible.

A local anaesthetic is used on your eyes during surgery, which will wear off soon after. You can then use over-the-counter pain relief medication to help with any pain or discomfort you may feel during the laser eye surgery recovery process.

Straight after laser eye surgery, you’ll be advised to go home and aim for a three-to-four-hour nap. Sleep is necessary for the healing process to begin. For the following few days, nap if you feel your eyes need a rest and don’t force yourself to stay awake.

Most people will be ready to return to work after a few days of rest at home. If you work in front of a computer or spend prolonged time reading or studying your eyes may feel more tired than before surgery during the laser eye surgery recovery period. This is common. Try to rest your eyes to reduce the feeling of tiredness.

You should wear eye protection while you sleep for a few weeks post-surgery. While sleeping, you’re at risk of accidentally rubbing your eye, and an eye guard protects the eye so you can slumber without worrying you’ll injure yourself. Be conscious of not rubbing your eyes during the day, as you can damage the cornea flap while it heals.

Most patients need to take some time off work after laser eye surgery. While recovery rates vary between patients, you shouldn’t need more than a few days off work after LASIK surgery. Some people return to work the following day. Patients post Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) surgery need a little more time off work to heal properly than those recovering from LASIK.

Within a few hours after surgery, you will notice a significant improvement in your vision and will continue to improve a little more each day. Expect several months before your final vision is completely clear.

After surgery, don’t forget to use eye drops to stop possible infections and aid recovery. Your surgeon will give you instructions, best practices to use the drops, and the dos and don’ts post-surgery.

While you’ll notice a vast improvement in your eyesight soon after surgery, it can take a few months for your eyes to completely recover. It’s not until then that you will know what the outcome of your vision is.