12 Tips For a Smooth Recovery From LASIK or PRK Surgery

So you’ve finally decided to take the leap and had your LASIK consultation (hopefully with Dr. Assil or Dr. Sodhi Gaur).  You were told are you are a  good candidate for LASIK or PRK. Now you are at a point where you have either scheduled surgery or are still in the research phase with a few more questions about the laser eye surgery and recovery process. Whether you’ve decided on surgery, or are still in the decision process, here are some pointers we provide to our LASIK patients to help make their recovery very smooth and as comfortable as possible. 

Before we begin with the recovery tips, let’s quickly review the difference between LASIK and PRK. 

What’s the difference between LASIK and PRK?

What is LASIK?

With LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) surgery, your surgeon creates a precise flap in the clear, dome-shaped portion of your eye called the cornea. In a LASIK procedure, this is done using a femtosecond laser instead of a scalpel. This corneal flap is folded back and another laser reshapes the middle layer of your cornea, correcting imperfections responsible for your vision deficit. Once the sculpting is done, the flap is flipped back into place and your cornea usually heals within 48 hours. 

Learn more about AGEI’s unique approach to LASIK surgery.

What is PRK? 

With PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), no corneal flap is created. Rather, the laser works directly on the cornea’s outer layer, sculpting it to correct vision deficiencies (known as refractive errors). Because no flap is created, this procedure depends on your natural eye to heal. Because of this healing process is slower and you may experience more discomfort in the early recovery process than LASIK. To improve healing and lessen discomfort, your eye surgeon inserts temporary bandage contact lenses that stay in for a week. PRK is suggested in cases where your cornea may be too thin to perform LASIK or if you participate frequently in high contact sports. 

Get a more detailed view of how PRK is performed at AGEI. 

12 tips for a smooth recovery from LASIK and PRK:

1. Ask someone to help you settle in at home after your surgery.

You will be required to arrive for your surgery with a friend who will be responsible for taking you home because between the temporary blurred vision and light sensitivity, you won’t be able to drive or take public transportation.

Once you get home, you’ll also be grateful to have a friend who can tuck you into bed, help with your eye drops, or prepare a meal for you!

2. Wear something comfortable on surgery day so you can go straight to bed when you get home

After surgery, you may feel drowsy from the relaxation medications given and will have some blurry vision.  So instead of trying to find a change of clothes, you will appreciate being able to go straight to bed.

3. Organize your post-op meals before surgery

This is particularly true if you live alone. Imagine cutting up vegetables with blurry vision: not so easy or safe. You can cook meals ahead, stock up on microwavable meals, ready-to-eat salads, or just pre-order delivery meals to avoid cooking. Consider buying paper plates and cups so you don’t have to wash dishes for the first few days post-op.

4. Eat a filling meal before your surgery 

Since LASIK and PRK don’t require general anesthesia (you get numbing eye drops and perhaps medication to curb anxiety, if necessary) you’ll want to have a good meal the morning of your surgery.

That’s because you don’t know how you’ll feel after your procedure and you might just want to sleep for several hours, or perhaps even to the next day, to rest your eyes. You’ll awaken famished if you didn’t eat something substantial before surgery.

5. Store your eye drops in the refrigerator

Your LASIK surgeon will send you home with anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drops. You will welcome the feeling of chilled soothing eye drops on your eyes. Because you may experience dry eyes early on in your healing process, you will be advised to lubricate your eyes frequently with preservative-free artificial tears. Keep a couple of vials in your pocket at all times and the rest in the fridge.  

6. Buy a lightweight cold compress to place over your eyes 

If you are going to have PRK, being able to place something cool (not freezing) over your eyelids and forehead might help your eyes feel less irritable. This will help you to achieve sleep more easily.  Please make sure to get approval from your eye surgeon before using compresses on your eyes. 

7. Shower and wash your hair on the morning of your surgery

We advise our LASIK patients not to directly wet their eyes for a couple of days. Naturally, washing your hair increases the chance of getting water in your eyes. That’s why we ask our patients to not only avoid showering for 24 hours but also to avoid washing their hair or face with direct water for a few days. You can use a damp washcloth to gently clean your face and around your eyes. If you accidentally get soap and water in the eyes, avoid rubbing them and rinse well with artificial tears to remove any irritation. While we’re on the subject, saunas and hot tubs are strictly forbidden for at least one month after surgery. 

8. Download entertainment that doesn’t involve looking at a screen

Since your eye doctor will instruct you to avoid screens and bright lights for a day (LASIK) or two (PRK), you’ll want to have a game plan for keeping your mind busy while you’re recovering from PRK or LASIK. 

Consider downloading podcasts music or books to help you relax. 

9. Get some help with your pets for a day or two

It can be dangerous for you and your pet if you’re stumbling around the house with eye shields on because the light bothers your eyes or if you had PRK and can’t see very clearly through your contact lens band-aids.

Have someone help feed and walk your pets as you recover or, if possible, send your pet to a family or friend’s home for a couple of days so you can concentrate on taking care of yourself. 

10. Set up your cell phone for comfort

Enlarging the text size and turning down your screen brightness will minimize post-op eye strain and dry eyes because you’ll spend less time trying to make out texts. If you have an iPhone, you can ask Siri to read your notifications or text friends so that you don’t even have to look at your phone. Your eyes will thank you for setting this up beforehand.

11. Have acetaminophen as a back-up to any prescription pain medication

The truth is that most patients recovering from LASIK don’t experience the amount of pain that would necessitate taking any pain medication. But if they do develop discomfort or a headache after surgery, we advise them to have acetaminophen on hand to manage their pain.

PRK patients typically experience some degree of post-op pain for the first couple of days. They may be given prescription pain medication, but it is good to have acetaminophen on hand for breakthrough pain between medication doses or to address moderate pain. 

12. Remember: rest is vital!

Don’t be eager to jump back into life too soon after your surgery. Even though you’re ecstatic to see so clearly and want to jump into your routine right away, your eyes need time to recover. This is especially true if you spend hours doing computer work or looking at your cell phone every day. Allowing your eyes to rest is advantageous for healing during your early recovery. 

Why choose Assil Gaur Eye Institute for your laser vision correction procedure?

At AGEI, we offer an exclusive approach to LASIK eye surgery developed by our founder, Dr. Kerry Assil, that uses state-of-the-art vision measurement technology which allows our patients to attain precise crisp vision that frequently exceeds what they experienced while wearing glasses or contacts. 

Dr. Assil is a leader in the field of laser vision correction, having contributed numerous inventions, articles and textbook chapters, peer instruction on surgical techniques, and lectures at international ophthalmology symposia. Dr. Assil and his partner Dr. Avneet K. Sodhi Gaur, an exceptional surgeon in her own right, bring a depth of experience in laser vision correction that has earned them the trust of several sports professionals and medical colleagues, several of whom have sought out AGEI for their eye surgery.

Please call 866-945-2745 or visit us here to make an appointment online for a complimentary consultation to determine whether you are an appropriate candidate for LASIK or PRK and to learn more about what laser surgery can do to provide you with better vision.

At Assil Gaur Eye Institute we take our patients’ safety seriously. Our facility’s Covid-19 patient safety procedures exceed all CDC recommendations. Masks are required in our institutes at all times.

We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area at locations in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles, to name a few.