If you wear glasses or contacts, you may be thinking about getting LASIK surgery to correct your vision once and for all. LASIK surgery can offer a wealth of benefits to surgical candidates, including no longer needing glasses or contact lenses. If you are concerned about the recovery process, the following information will be helpful:

How Does LASIK Surgery Improve Your Vision?

LASIK surgery reshapes the cornea to help improve your vision. If the cornea is misshapen, you will not be able to see properly. After the surgery and you fully heal, you will not need to wear your glasses or contact lenses any longer.

At the beginning of the procedure, the doctor will cut a flap into the eye to better access the corneal tissue. The doctor will then use a laser to reshape your cornea. The cornea and tissues are then closed. 

How Do You Recover From LASIK Surgery?

You will not feel anything during the surgery. The doctor will administer anesthesia to the area, typically in the form of eye drops. Afterward, you may have some slight discomfort in the eyes as the anesthesia begins to wear off. Your doctor can prescribe some mild pain medication, but over-the-counter pain medication is generally all you will need.

Your vision may seem blurry right after the surgery. This will begin to subside within a day or so. Try to not touch or rub your eyes for a day or so. You may be sensitive to light, so stay indoors in a dark room if possible. You may want to wear sunglasses to help decrease the light in your eyes for a day or so. You should also try to avoid screens if at all possible.

If your eyes feel dry, use some saline solution or eye drops in your eyes to help keep them moist. Be sure to ask your doctor which products are the best to use. You may have to go back to see your doctor a few days after the surgery to check your eyes. The doctor will check your vision and the progress of your healing.

If at all possible, try to take a few days to rest and recover. Do not do any sort of activity that could impact your eyes, such as exercise. When you are physically active, you will sweat. The sweat can get into your eyes and irritate them right after LASIK surgery. Avoid wearing eye makeup or eye products. Do not go into a pool or public water source, as this can cause an infection.

Contact a local LASIK service to learn more.