LASIK Recovery Timeline: When Can You Get Back to Your Activities?
When Can I Drive After LASIK?
Most patients can drive within 24 hours after LASIK – but ask your eye doctor first.
Immediately following your LASIK procedure, you will need to have a friend or family member drive you home. In addition to the sedative you were given before surgery, your eyes are going to be a bit tender and your vision blurry after surgery. So, it is not safe for you to drive home from your LASIK appointment. Plus, it is important to keep your eyes closed as much as possible for the first several hours following your procedure to promote healing.
Most patients drive themselves to their first postoperative visit (typically scheduled for the day after surgery). Almost all patients should be cleared to drive the day following LASIK and meet legal vision requirements, but make sure you feel comfortable behind the wheel. During the healing process, some patients may experience night vision issues, such as halos, glare, or starbursts, which are temporary and may need to wait a few days before driving after dusk.
When Can I Do What I Want to Do? Your LASIK Recovery Timeline
Here is a list of the typical questions asked about resuming activities after vision correction with LASIK.
Returning to Work
- Timeline: 1-3 days for most occupations
- Guidance: It depends on your work environment and visual demands. Your eye surgeon will make recommendations specific to your situation. If you spend a good deal of time on a computer, remember to blink, take breaks, and use artificial tears.
Showering and Hair Washing
- Timeline: 24 hours
- Guidance: Keep water, soap, shampoo, and any chemicals out of your eyes for the first week, but you can shower normally the next day.
Eye Makeup (mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow)
- Timeline: 1 week
- Guidance: Start with new products to reduce infection risk; be gentle when removing makeup
Light Exercise (walking, stationary bike, stretching)
- Timeline: 3-7 days
- Guidance: Avoid getting sweat in your eyes (fortunately, sweatbands are cool again); no straining or activities that increase eye pressure
Moderate Exercise (jogging, light weights)
- Timeline: 1 week
- Guidance: If you lift weights, use machines for the first week before returning to free weights
Heavy Lifting and Intense Workouts
- Timeline: 1-2 weeks
- Guidance: Gradually increase in intensity; avoid activities that significantly raise blood pressure. Avoid activities where you can get hit in the eye.
Contact Sports (basketball, football, martial arts)
- Timeline: 2-4 weeks
- Guidance: Wear sports goggles after clearance to protect from getting poked in the eye during the healing period
Swimming Pools (with goggles)
- Timeline: 1-2 weeks
- Guidance: Always wear goggles to protect your eyes from chlorine and bacteria
Hot Tubs, Natural Bodies of Water
- Timeline: 2 weeks
- Guidance: Avoid water that could be contaminated, including hot tubs, lakes, rivers, and the ocean
Water Sports (surfing, water skiing, diving)
- Timeline: 2-4 weeks
- Guidance: The combination of water exposure and potential impact requires extended healing time. Be sure to discuss your specific sport with your eye surgeon.
Flying
- Timeline: 1-2 days
- Guidance: Cabin air can be very dry so bring lubricating eye drops; follow your doctor’s recommendations for your specific situation.
Griffin Eye Centers Leading LASIK Ophthalmologists, Dr. Neil Griffin and Dr. Sarah Griffin, use the latest and most advanced lasers. Griffin Eye Center has a state-of-the-art LASIK suite and is currently the only on-site LASIK suite in the local area. Griffin Eye Center is the first in South Carolina to offer the latest advancements of both the Wavelight® EX500 and the VisuMax® laser. The speed and accuracy of the laser allow our ophthalmic surgeons the ability to expand treatment capabilities, enhancements of current treatments, broaden range of corrections and provide the ultimate outcomes for our patients seeking LASIK surgery in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area.
Find out if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery and fill out a LASIK Screening Questionnaire or visit us online griffineyecenter.com or call (843) 449-6414