Expected Recovery Time from LASIK

    CHICAGO, IL, January 03, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Part of understanding the LASIK process is knowing how long recovery from LASIK takes. There is no single answer for every patient. Factors including the extent of your refractive error, the type of LASIK you choose to have, and your eyes' natural ability to heal will play a determining role in your recovery from LASIK. However, listed below is what most people can typically expect during LASIK recovery.

Recovering from LASIK
Someone will need to drive you home from your LASIK surgery. For a short period of time your eyes will be blurry. This may be followed by some discomfort. Minimizing discomfort relies on keeping your eyes closed. If at all possible, sleeping for four or five hours after surgery is ideal. Your eye doctor will provide you with a protective shield to be worn over your eyes while you sleep. Make sure you use this in the first few days following your surgery. You can also ease discomfort with the use of over the counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil.

In addition to the eye shield, you will want to use eye drops to keep your eyes lubricated. Dry eyes are the most common side effect of LASIK surgery, with around 50 percent of people experiencing these symptoms for up to 30 days. Some may experience dry eyes longer, but in both cases it can be combated with the use of eye drops.

In most cases, you can shower, drive, and return to work within 24 hours. You can also resume mild to moderate exercise at this time. Avoid using a washcloth or towel on your eyes for the first week following your surgery. Also avoid contact and watersports during your recovery period.

You will return to your doctor for several follow-up visits after LASIK. During these, he will ensure that everything is progressing as normal, and check for irregularities. You need to follow all of your eye doctor's advice such as wearing sunglasses, and avoiding certain activities to help encourage recovery.

Some people notice almost immediate results after LASIK. For others, the results are progressive and may take 6 to 24 months to be fully apparent. In either case, you should be able to resume all normal activities within 30 to 90 days. Working closely with an experienced eye surgeon will help you determine when you should engage in all of your areas of interest.

If you live in or around Chicago or Arlington Heights, Illinois and would like to learn more about recovery from LASIK, please visit the website of Doctors for Visual Freedom for more information at http://www.doctorsforvisualfreedom.com/.

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