Lasik surgery involves creating a corneal flap, which allows the laser to get access and reshape the inner corneal surface. This flap then needs to heal and re-bond to the outer surface of the cornea. The eye has great healing powers and it would be of great comfort to know that all corneal procedures, even complete transplants, do heal ultimately.



The average healing period after you've had Lasik surgery is approximately six months. During this period any vision problems that you may have been experiencing should have completely disappeared or at least considerably lessened. Complete healing of the corneal flap could take a bit longer, sometimes up to two years. But this should not give you any cause for discomfort or concern. Healing of the cornea is an ongoing process that does not or should not interfere with your vision or your daily life.

Minimum five follow-up visits are scheduled for most patients, post Lasik surgery. The first visit will most likely be within 24 hours of the surgery. It is of utmost importance to keep all of these visits so that the doctor can keep track of the ongoing healing process and rectify any problems that may arise as you go along.

After Lasik surgery it is natural to expect a little discomfort in your eyes, though you should not feel any pain. Part of the aftercare involves using eye drops to help alleviate this discomfort. This will have to be done for a minimum period of two to four weeks after the surgery.

Other common reactions that are common after undergoing Lasik eye surgery are slightly blurred vision, feeling of dryness in the eyes, minor swelling and redness of the eye, sensitivity to bright light and watery eyes accompanied by a runny nose.

Here are a few other post-op tips that you may need to make this period more comfortable for yourself:

To get over any minor discomfort you can take any over the counter pain medication like Advil or Tylenol that does not contain aspirin.

Give your eyes sufficient protection against sunlight or any bright light by wearing sunglasses when going out in the day.

Give your eyes as much rest as possible by getting some extra shut -eye for at least two to three days post surgery.

The eye mask that was given to you needs to be worn immediately after the surgery for a minimum two to three hours and then during the nest three to four days it should be worn while sleeping.

During the first two weeks all water sports as well as all water related activities such as whirlpools or hot tubs should be avoided. Scuba diving should be avoided for a minimum of six weeks.

Your risk factor and possible need for post surgery rectifications is dependant on various factors, the most important one being the condition of your vision pre-surgery. If your vision had deteriorated to a great extent, there are higher chances that there will be some degree of complication in your surgery and you would be dissatisfied with the outcome. Also, if a small degree of astigmatism was present, the results could turn out to be unsatisfactory. Touch-up surgery is fairly common and is normally covered by the initial cost, but the additional surgery is still an unpleasant thought.

As with any other surgery there are no absolute guarantees with Lasik eye surgery too. Complete success is determined by many factors acting together, most important of which is each individuals healing powers.

There are a few factors that act as a deterrent to anyone considering Lasik eye surgery. Anyone between 19 to 24 years of age is considered an unsuitable candidate for this procedure. As also anyone suffering from condition such as diabetes, HIV or herpes or pregnant and breast-feeding women. Lasik surgery is also not recommended if your eyes have been found to have refractive instability, thin corneas or large pupils.