How long does it take to recover from laser eye surgery?

If you are referring to LASIK rather than PRK (both are laser vision corrections), most patients can return to work and typical daily activities the next day. While vision in the first week or so may not be perfect, it is usually the next best thing. There will typically often be some rainbows or "haloing" around point sources of light at night for up to 3 months however. Almost all normal activities can be resumed in about 2 weeks. Dry eye symptoms are not uncommon immediately afterwards so will require over-the-counter lubrication drops for at least 3 months.

PRK, while using the same excimer laser with the same settings as LASIK, is not as easy post-operatively. There is usually more pain than with LASIK for the first 48 hours or so and visual quality is slower to sharpen up but is usually quite good after 3-4 days. Once again, though, the full effects visually are not attained until about 90 days later and lubricating drops are quite useful in that period.

_Written by J. Trevor Woodhams, M.D. - Chief of Surgery, Woodhams Eye Clinic