LASIK has one of the fastest recovery timelines of any elective eye procedure, and most patients notice sharper vision within a day or two. That speed can make it easy to forget that healing corneal tissue still needs a few weeks of protection before it can handle everyday wear and tear. Knowing exactly what to hold off on, and what you’re free to do right away, makes the first month after LASIK surgery far less confusing.
Keep reading to learn eight things you can and can’t do after LASIK.
1. Driving
You can’t drive yourself home after LASIK. The mild sedation used during the procedure and the temporary blur that follows mean you’ll need someone else behind the wheel for at least the rest of that day. Most patients are cleared to drive again within a day or two, once their surgeon confirms their vision has stabilized enough to meet legal driving standards.
Night driving sometimes takes a little longer to feel comfortable again, since glare and halos around lights are common in the first week or two. If you commute long distances or drive for work, keep your schedule light for the first few days back so you’re not relying on your eyes in low-light conditions before they’ve fully adjusted.
2. Rubbing Your Eyes
This is the one habit that can cause more LASIK complications than almost anything else during recovery. You can’t rub, press, or squeeze your eyes for at least the first week, since the corneal flap needs that time to reattach securely. Even a light rub in your sleep can shift it out of place.
Patients are usually sent home with protective shields specifically so they don’t rub their eyes overnight without realizing it. Use preservative-free artificial tears whenever your eyes feel itchy or dry, instead of touching them directly. It also helps to keep a small bottle nearby at work or in your bag, since the itching sensation tends to show up unannounced and passes quickly once you apply a drop instead of reaching for your eye.
3. Exercise and Weightlifting
Heavy lifting and high-impact workouts are off the table for about two weeks, since straining or jarring movements can raise eye pressure and interfere with healing. You can walk, stretch, or do light exercises almost immediately, as long as sweat stays out of your eyes.
Cycling and other low-impact activities are often the easiest ways to stay active during recovery, and a few low-impact workout ideas can help you ease back into a routine without pushing too hard too soon.
Contact sports deserve extra caution, since a stray elbow or ball to the face could dislodge the healing flap, so wait for your LASIK surgeon’s clearance before returning to anything with impact risk.
4. Swimming and Water Activities
Pools, lakes, hot tubs, and even long showers with your face directly under the stream are off-limits for about a month. Water carries bacteria that healing eyes are especially vulnerable to, and chlorine or lake water can irritate the surface of the eye before it has fully sealed.
You can still shower and wash your hair during this time; just keep your eyes closed when water or shampoo comes near your face. Once your LASIK surgeon gives the go-ahead, most patients are back to swimming and other water activities within about four weeks. Hot tubs and saunas add the concern of steam and higher bacteria counts, so they’re usually among the last activities patients are cleared for.
5. Eye Makeup
Wait at least a week before returning to eyeliner, mascara, and eyeshadow. Makeup particles and applicator brushes introduce bacteria right at the surgical site, and removing makeup often involves rubbing that healing eyes can’t tolerate yet.
You can wear makeup on the rest of your face without any restriction. During this stretch, you’ll likely be using the antibiotic and steroid drops your surgeon prescribes, so keeping the eye area free of other products also helps those drops work. Also replace old makeup and applicators once you’re cleared to wear them again, since bacteria can build up in products that sat unused for weeks.
6. Screens and Reading
Reading, working on a computer, and scrolling on your phone are all fine in the days after surgery, in moderation. Screens don’t damage healing eyes, but staring at them reduces how often you blink, which can leave already-dry eyes feeling worse. Taking breaks every twenty minutes or so and keeping lubricating drops nearby makes screen time far more comfortable.
Some blurriness or vision fluctuations during this period are normal and usually resolve within the first few days after the procedure, so they’re not a sign that anything has gone wrong. Adjusting your screen brightness and font size for the first week can also reduce eye strain from focusing on small text while your vision is still settling.
7. Sun Exposure and Being Outdoors
You can absolutely spend time outside after LASIK, and many patients notice how much sharper the world looks without glasses fogging up or contacts drying out. What you can’t do is skip sunglasses, since healing eyes are more sensitive to UV light and bright glare than usual.
Wraparound sunglasses that block wind and debris are worth wearing even on cloudy days for the first couple of weeks. Wind, dust, and pollen can also irritate the eyes more than usual, so avoid especially dusty or windy conditions early on. Postpone yard work, campfires, and anything involving smoke or airborne debris for the first week or so.
8. Sleep and Eye Protection
Normal sleep is fine; in fact, your body does most of its healing while you rest. Don’t skip wearing the protective shields your surgeon provides for at least the first few nights. These shields keep you from rubbing your eyes or rolling into a pillow in a way that puts pressure on the cornea while you’re unconscious and unaware.
Sleeping on your back rather than face-down also reduces the chance of accidental contact with your eyes during those first critical nights. Pets that like to jump on the bed are worth keeping in a separate room for those first few nights too, since a stray paw near your face can easily undo a smooth recovery.
Curious what your own LASIK recovery timeline might look like? Schedule an appointment at The Omaha and Lincoln Eye and Laser Institute in Omaha or Lincoln, NE, today.
