What to Expect After LASIK

February 27th, 2017

You are sick and tired of using contacts or glasses to see, so you are considering LASIK. Before you commit to getting eye surgery, you want to know what to expect in the days following the procedure. Then, you’ll be ready to schedule your appointment and move forward with your surgery.

Mild Discomfort

You can expect to experience mild discomfort immediately following LASIK. In most cases, this last for 2-4 hours. During this time, you will also be sensitive to light and you’ll have some tearing. It is best to sleep during this time to minimize the discomfort. This is typically easy to do since you will get a sedative before the procedure. By the time the sedative wears off and you wake up, your eyes should feel close to normal.

Your Vision

You likely think that LASIK is like a magic wand. You go in with poor vision and you walk out with 20/20 vision. You will end up with better vision, but sometimes, it takes as much as six months for your vision to stabilize. Before it stabilizes, your vision might look a little blurry. Don’t worry about this. Your eyes are just getting readjusted. By the time it stabilizes, you should notice a significant improvement.

Coming Back to the Clinic

Your eye doctor has to check your corneas to make sure they are healing properly. You will come back to your clinic within a day for a thorough examination. At that time, you will also get your vision checked. Keep in mind that your vision will likely continue to improve, so if your eyes are 20/15 or worse, there is still a chance they will make it to 20/20 or better.

Using Drops

Your eyes will be dry after LASIK eye surgery. Your eye surgeon will provide you with drops to use to lubricate your eyes. In some cases, you might even need prescription eye drops.  Your surgeon will examine your eyes and go over your specific needs. While you will likely need to use some form of eye drops in the beginning, the need usually isn’t permanent. Your eyes will start producing tears, you can back off the drops. Still, it is a good idea to keep some drops handy just in case.

Night Driving

Many people report having trouble with night driving until their vision stabilizes. If you fall into this category, you might notice a glare or halos during night driving. It is best to avoid driving at night if at all possible until your vision stabilizes. Then, you should be much more comfortable when you’re on the road at night.

If you’re ready to get LASIK, we can help. Our clinic serves patients in the Huntsville and Decatur area, and we utilize the best technologies for LASIK. Come in for an assessment and we will let you know if you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. If you are, we will schedule your procedure so you can get the vision you have longed to have.