Does LASIK Hurt After? A Complete Guide to LASIK Aftercare and Recovery

About 700,000 Americans undergo LASIK eye surgery annually, and surveys suggest that approximately 95% are happy with the results. Your ophthalmology practice’s patients can take advantage of this popular vision correction option by scheduling LASIK surgery and committing to taking LASIK aftercare seriously.

Proper LASIK aftercare will significantly improve patients’ chances of a successful outcome following eye surgery and make the recovery process smoother.

Wondering, “Does LASIK hurt after?” or looking to teach patients helpful LASIK aftercare tips to prevent potential complications during the healing process? Check out our comprehensive guide on post-LASIK recovery and care below.

Immediate Post-LASIK Care: Does LASIK Hurt After Surgery?

LASIK eye surgery doesn’t last as long as patients might think. It typically takes a skilled surgeon from a dedicated ophthalmology practice like yours 30 minutes to complete the LASIK procedure.

The LASIK recovery period is a different story. Patients often wonder if LASIK eye surgery hurts afterwards. While severe pain is rare, patients may experience mild discomfort, scratchiness, or light sensitivity. They will most likely have to wait a few months to make a full recovery and enjoy improved vision.

This portion of the LASIK journey will start with patients getting immediate post-LASIK care in the first few hours following laser eye surgery. Set them up for long-term success by making sure they take these steps on surgery day:

• Advise them to rest with their eyes closed.
• Tell them, “Don’t rub your eyes or strain them,” to minimize discomfort and light sensitivity.
• Give them protective eyewear, such as an eye shield or goggles.
• Ask them to avoid bright lights, driving, strenuous activities, contact sports, and other everyday activities.

Patients must also schedule follow-up appointments as part of their immediate LASIK post-operative care plan. Your surgical care team should continuously monitor their eye health following LASIK procedures, so ensure they attend follow-up appointments faithfully.

Managing Eye Care During the First 24 to 48 Hours

Doing as little as possible after LASIK surgery is critical to letting the eyes heal. Patients should spend the first 24 to 48 hours following LASIK taking proper care of their eyes to keep the healing process moving in the right direction.

Avoiding Water and Irritants

During LASIK surgery, an eye doctor will use a specialized laser to cut a small flap in a patient’s cornea and reshape the tissue underneath it. This laser-assisted flap enables patients to experience improved vision after the LASIK procedure.

However, if they aren’t careful, this corneal flap might cause complications during LASIK aftercare. Water in their eyes could increase the chances of infections. It might also leave them with blurry vision and other post-operative issues following refractive surgery.

For this reason, patients should take baths while wearing goggles rather than showering after LASIK surgery for at least a week. They should also avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, and other bodies of water. It will be a few weeks before they can even think about submerging their faces in water again since doing it could stop their eyes from healing correctly and affect vision.

Using Prescribed Eye Drops Correctly

Following LASIK, your surgical care team will do more than check to see that patients have scheduled follow-up appointments. They will also provide antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops to keep their eyes moist while preventing infections and promoting healing.

Ask patients to follow your LASIK surgical care team’s instructions after surgery and during subsequent follow-up appointments. Most patients must utilize preservative-free artificial tears about once every two hours while wearing protective eyewear, such as a face shield.

Have patients who aren’t fans of eye drops? As their eye doctor, provide tips for using them before LASIK surgery. They’ll quickly become pros after applying drops just a few times after LASIK.

Week 1: Returning to Daily Activities Safely

Have patients take at least a week to recover from LASIK surgery before returning to daily activities. The more time they take off, the greater their chances of enjoying a smooth recovery and clear vision later.

Speak with them about how soon they can return to working, exercising, and even wearing eye makeup. The last thing they want to do is return to work or participate in strenuous activities too soon and experience vision issues.

Digital Screens and Eye Strain

The average American spends over seven hours staring at digital screens each day. From watching TV to scrolling through smartphones, most people spend too much time looking at screens.

As part of LASIK aftercare, tell patients to reduce their screen time dramatically. Too much screen time can cause eye strain and hurt their vision.

If they must spend time staring at screens after undergoing LASIK, keep their recovery plan on the right track with these tips:

• Take frequent breaks.
• Adjust the brightness on digital devices.
• Use lubricating eye drops.

Exercise and Physical Activity

Only about 25% of Americans get enough exercise each week. If patients have already established a workout routine before LASIK, don’t allow the procedure to derail their commitment to working out.

Most patients must abstain from working out for several days following LASIK. However, you might clear them to return to a light exercise schedule within just a week.

Patients will need to wait a little longer — at least a month — to participate in adventurous outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding. They must also wait several months to go scuba diving or skydiving.

Long-Term LASIK Aftercare Tips

By taking excellent care of their eyes after undergoing LASIK to correct refractive errors, patients should experience positive results. However, they must continue caring for their eyes long after LASIK surgery.

Here are several long-term LASIK aftercare tips endorsed by the American Refractive Surgery Council that may work wonders for their vision:

• Try not to rub eyes too often.
• Keep using eye drops to prevent dryness and irritation.
• Wear sunglasses outdoors that offer UV protection.
• Avoid wearing contact lenses for at least a month and maybe longer.
• Attend follow-up appointments.

Additionally, patients should maintain their eye health by staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet. This will further enhance the LASIK recovery process and prevent issues like macular degeneration.

Common Concerns and How To Address Them

It’s natural for patients to have concerns after LASIK surgery. They might even make a mountain out of a molehill with all their worries when their vision isn’t 100% corrected right away.

Following LASIK, dry eyes, minimal discomfort, and vision fluctuations are perfectly normal. Managing these symptoms is as simple as using eye drops. It may also help to wear sunglasses to stop unnecessary eye strain.

And if LASIK-related stress starts getting the best of them? Tell patients to pick up the phone and call you to put their minds at ease.

Tips for Avoiding Complications & Managing LASIK Eye Pain Post-Surgery

Unfortunately, dryness and discomfort come with the territory following LASIK surgery. Patients shouldn’t get too stressed out about these possible side effects.

Just tell them to monitor their eyes for signs of infection. They may have infections if:

• Green or yellow discharge oozes from their eyes
• Their eyes are causing severe pain that is getting worse
• They see redness and swelling in or around their eyes
• Their eyes are sensitive to light for longer than they should be
• Their vision is worsening instead of improving

Help Your Patients Enjoy a Successful Healing Process Following LASIK Eye Surgery

Your patients will be happy to hear that most people who undergo LASIK surgery experience the desired results. However, they might not experience them right away. To get the results they’re looking for, they must take the right steps during LASIK aftercare.

Have patients follow the steps here to protect their vision and optimize the LASIK surgical outcome. Prioritizing LASIK aftercare may ensure a safe and successful recovery.

If you’re an ophthalmologist looking to provide patients with improved post-operative care, Weave’s software and patient communication tools — including appointment reminders, digital forms, and follow-up scheduling — can help your ophthalmology practice get there. Get a demo today to streamline your post-op care communication!

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Article last updated August 31, 2026