When you are considering laser eye surgery, planning the days afterwards matters. How much leave should you arrange? Who will drive you home? When can you return to your laptop, the gym or the beach?
Recovery depends on your procedure, prescription, eye health and healing response. LASIK usually offers faster early visual recovery than PRK, but being able to see clearly is different from completing the healing process.
This guide focuses on LASIK and PRK, including TransPRK. It provides general planning advice; your surgeon’s instructions and review findings determine when you can safely resume each activity.
Why LASIK and PRK recover differently
With LASIK, a thin flap is created in the cornea. The laser reshapes the tissue underneath, and the flap is repositioned. Many patients have useful vision by the following day, although vision can still fluctuate.
With PRK and TransPRK, the cornea is treated at the surface without creating a flap. The outer cell layer needs to regrow afterwards. In TransPRK, the laser also removes this surface layer. Early recovery takes longer, and discomfort is generally greater.
PRK may be appropriate for some people with thinner corneas or activities involving a risk of eye injury. However, a thin cornea does not automatically make PRK suitable. Detailed measurements and corneal mapping help your surgeon assess whether either procedure is appropriate.
The first 24 hours
Arrange for someone to take you home. You must not drive on the day of surgery.
After LASIK, blurry vision, watering, light sensitivity and a gritty or stinging sensation are common early experiences. Resting with your eyes closed can help with comfort.
After PRK, a bandage contact lens protects the healing surface. Vision may be quite blurred, and discomfort can continue over the first several days. Follow the pain-relief plan provided by your surgical team.
Start your prescribed drops as instructed, avoid rubbing or pressing on your eyes, and use any protective shields supplied. Arrange transport to your first review unless the team has advised otherwise.
Days two to seven
After LASIK
Many people can return to desk-based work within a few days, often around two to three days. Your vision, comfort and job requirements determine whether this is practical.
Driving may be possible early, but only after your postoperative assessment confirms that your vision meets the applicable driving standard and your treating team advises that you can resume. Glare or halos may make night driving more difficult even when daytime vision is good.
After PRK or TransPRK
The surface often closes over within approximately four to seven days. Your clinician removes the bandage contact lens once healing is adequate; do not remove it yourself.
Discomfort can peak around days two or three before improving. Vision may remain blurred or fluctuate after the surface closes.
Plan at least a week away from work, with flexibility for longer if your vision or job requires it. Avoid assuming that you will be ready to drive on a particular day.
Screens and daily routines
Resume short periods of screen use when comfortable and permitted by your team. Take regular breaks and use prescribed drops. A full working day at a screen may be harder than a brief phone call or email.
Keep water, soap and shampoo out of your eyes as instructed. Avoid eye makeup until cleared, and discuss dusty or dirty work environments before returning.
Weeks two to four
LASIK patients are often back to many everyday activities, although vision can still vary. PRK vision generally continues improving, and detailed tasks may take more effort.
Walking and gentle activity can often restart earlier than swimming or contact sports (American Academy of Ophthalmology guidance). Your surgeon will give separate advice for:
- Gym sessions: Return gradually once cleared, avoiding sweat in the eyes and accidental rubbing.
- Swimming, ocean water and hot tubs: Wait until the team confirms it is safe. Restrictions vary and may extend beyond the first few weeks.
- Contact sports: These require specific clearance because an impact can injure the eye. After LASIK, the flap is an additional consideration.
- Dusty or hazardous work: Discuss suitable protection and whether duties need temporary adjustment.
Avoid using one recovery deadline for all activities. In Brisbane’s outdoor climate, wear UV-protective sunglasses when outside, particularly after PRK.
One to three months and beyond
Many people are functioning well by this stage, but vision and night-time symptoms may still be settling. PRK recovery commonly continues over several months.
A three-month review can be useful for assessing progress, but it is not a guaranteed final-result date. Vision may take three to six months to stabilise, and some patients need longer (American Academy of Ophthalmology).
Keep using prescribed drops for the full course, including any gradual reduction in steroid drops after PRK. Do not stop or change treatment simply because your eyes feel better.
What supports a smoother recovery
Use your drops correctly, attend your reviews and follow the activity restrictions. These measures support healing; they cannot guarantee a particular recovery speed.
Before surgery, tell your team about driving, work, sport and travel commitments. A realistic plan includes some flexibility rather than relying on the earliest possible return date.
Contact your surgical team urgently if you develop severe or increasing pain, a sudden reduction in vision, increasing redness, discharge or worsening light sensitivity. Do not wait for your next scheduled review.
Plan your recovery with Focus Vision in Woolloongabba
A suitability assessment helps you understand your options and plan the likely recovery for your eyes.
At Focus Vision, the process starts with a free optometrist assessment and detailed eye measurements. If appropriate, you then have a paid consultation with Dr Brendan Cronin or Dr David Gunn to confirm suitability and discuss treatment. The consultation fee is deducted from your surgery price.
If reading vision is a concern, your surgeon can also discuss laser treatment for presbyopia or refractive lens exchange where appropriate. These options have their own suitability requirements and recovery advice.
Book a free initial optometrist assessment at Focus Vision, Woolloongabba.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. What should I expect before, during, and after surgery? FDA LASIK patient information. fda.gov
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. Laser Surgery Recovery. EyeSmart. aao.org/eye-health/treatments/laser-surgery-recovery
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. When to Resume Exercise After an Eye Surgery or Injury. EyeSmart. aao.org
- healthdirect Australia. Laser eye surgery. healthdirect.gov.au/laser-eye-surgery