How Long Is Recovery Time From LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK eye surgery is a popular procedure for people who are tired of wearing contact lenses or glasses, but simply want to have full 20/20 vision. While popular and common, it is important to understand that it is a form of surgery, and this means that you need to recover. So how long is recovery time from LASIK eye surgery? That comes down to understanding the procedure first, and what is involved.

What Is LASIK Eye Surgery And How Does It Pertain To Recovery Time?

LASIK means that a flap is cut in the tissue of the cornea. This means that a wound is created, and you will need to recover from this. A lot of people will experience watery eyes and blurry vision for a period of time. This is the case with all types of refractive surgery. What is different, however, and one of the reasons why LASIK is so popular, is that the recovery time is much shorter than with other types of eye surgery.

How Long Is Recovery Time From LASIK Eye Surgery?

Vision should be fully restored very quickly after the LASIK procedure. There are some exceptions, however. Because LASIK is a surgical procedure, there is always a chance, albeit a small one, for complications to occur. During recovery, people may experience starbursts or halos, astigmatism, light sensitivity, dry eye syndrome, and more. In fact, dry eye syndrome is such a common side effect that eye drops are prescribed as standard to those who have had the procedure. Overall, only 5% of people suffer from the other possible complications, and most resolve themselves within just a few weeks.

So how long is recovery time from LASIK eye surgery specifically? Basically, it varies. You will usually have a number of post-operative meetings with your eye surgeon, and these will determine how successful the procedure has been and how your recovery is going overall. It is important that you have these consultations because they will help you to recover more quickly. If a problem or complication does start to occur, your surgeon will be able to spot that and immediately take steps to prevent it from getting worse. There are some very rare cases in which this means further enhancement procedures. If this is the case with you, it will be discussed in detail during your follow-up visits.

While there is a certain recovery time from LASIK eye surgery, this is not serious enough to stop you from taking part in daily activities. You should, however, avoid sports for a month, particularly water sports and contact sports. This is more due to the fact that you could injure your cornea than anything else.

It is easy to see why LASIK is such a popular type of refractive surgery. Most people experience excellent results and have very few side effects. Most importantly, it provides them with excellent vision without needing to wear contacts or glasses ever again. This is worth a few days of blurry vision and the need to use eye drops for a few weeks!