LASIK Surgery

After the LASIK surgery, you will be able to see immediately, albeit a little blurry, but it is much better than without glasses or contact lenses (before the surgery). Since no stitches are used to hold the flap in place, the doctor will then give you an eye shield to be placed over your eye for protection. Usually, it has lots of tiny holes in it that allows you to see around, but prevents you from touching and rubbing you eye. It also helps prevent pressure on eye when you are sleeping and protect your eye from accidentally being hit or poked until the corneal flap has healed.

Each patient’s result after the LASIK surgery may vary. Usually, your eye may burn, itch, dry or feel there is something in it. To anticipate these problems, you will be given post-operative pain prescription such as rewetting drops to keep eye from drying out, antibiotic drops to reduce the chance of infection, and moisturizing gel for night use only to provide moisture.

The doctor will schedule the follow-up appointments at regular intervals after surgery for six months to one year. After some rest, you are allowed to go home and make yourself relax at home. You can go to work the next day, but it is suggested to stay at home for a couple of days. You are also recommended not to wear eye makeup or lotions for two weeks period after surgery, not to do strenuous or contact sports for four weeks and not to swim and using whirlpool or hot tub for eight weeks.

Other post-operative complications may include mild pain and discomfort, tearing or watery eyes, hazy (blurred vision), sensitivity to light, night glare, starbursts or halos around lights and redness on the white of your eye. But these symptoms should improve few days to weeks after surgery.

It is very rare that patient experiences improvement but then notice a gradual worsening of vision (regression). If this happens to you, contact your doctor immediately and not wait for your scheduled visit because it may lead to a loss of vision if not treated early. Your doctor may determine if additional surgery (called enhancement surgery or touch-up) will be necessary.

With LASIK eye surgery, most people achieve 20/20 or better vision and do not need to wear glasses or contact lenses anymore. While some people only achieve 20/40 and some may still need glasses or contacts with a much lower prescription level than before surgery.

However, people who have had 20/20 vision or better with LASIK surgery or other refractive eye surgeries may still need reading glasses or bifocal contact lenses once they are at the age of 40 or older or suffer from presbyopia. As technology improves, researchers expect to find a way to treat presbyopia surgically.