AFTER YOUR LASIK PROCEDURE
THE LASIK RECOVERY CYCLE
Most patients are genuinely surprised by how quickly their vision improves after LASIK. Although the corneal flap adheres quickly, your eyesight will continue to improve until it finally reaches a point at which it becomes stable. The time it takes to establish visual stability after LASIK varies for each patient. For some, stability can be achieved in a few weeks. For others, stability may take three to six months.
During the first month after surgery, you will probably notice a gradual improvement in your vision. It is common to experience fluctuations in your vision during the first two to three weeks, especially for those with higher corrections.
Patients who have hyperopic LASIK (farsightedness treatment) may notice that at first their near vision is better than their distance vision. This is quite common, and the distance vision will continue to improve during the first month.
For the first three months, it is normal for patients to experience an occasional feeling of "grittiness" in the eye. This is related to dryness on the surface of the eye. Using lubricating eyedrops will help significantly. People with drier eyes and those who use a computer, read for long hours, drive long distances, or live in low-humidity climates may even notice some minor discomfort and blurring of their vision, particularly toward the end of the day. Also caused by dryness, these conditions will improve over time.
Although many patients notice halos around lights or ghosting of images at night, these symptoms tend to lessen substantially within six months.
Before your vision stabilizes, you may feel more comfortable with a thin pair of eyeglasses-those with low prescription lenses-to assist you with critical distance vision activities, such as driving at night. Patients over forty years of age may require a thin pair of glasses for reading.
Risks And Complications
