Exact Answer: After 2 to 3 days
In layman’s terms referred to as Laser eye surgery or laser vision correction, is known as Lasik. This surgery is performed by the ophthalmologist, using a laser or microkeratome to revise the eye’s cornea. This will help to improvise visual acuity. Lasik surgery is a type of refractive surgery. It is performed to correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism-like diseases.
To avoid this surgery some people also take eyeglasses or contact lenses as an alternative to surgery. But once this surgery is performed, some amount of neutral rest is a must for any patient. And nothing, which creates pressure on the eye is restricted. Hence, one must take a rest for at least 2 to 3 days.
How Long After Lasik Can I Drive?
| Time Taken For The Surgery | 10 to 15 minutes |
| Rest Needed After Surgery | 2 to 3 days |
| Avoiding Screen and Phones | 24 hours |
Driving is a little more focusing work. One’s eye must be clear and healthy to keep the driving safe. And after Lasik eye surgery, it is not recommended for at least 3 days to drive. Driving just after the surgery may create some dilemma in the eye and the glare initially. Doctors normally advise taking some ample amount of rest for a couple of days, before again returning to normal life. The surgery procedure is technically flawless. Still, it is asked not to drive in the night at least. Due to bad lights or the night headlights from the opposite vehicles, this decision is important.
After the surgery, a post-op exam is performed by the doctors before regaining the normal life. However, the amount of time one must wait before driving may vary from person to person. Some people with great eye structure may get recommended to start their previous life just a few hours after the surgery, whereas some are instructed to wait for a couple of days. So, the time limit also varies with different people.
With restrictions to driving, some doctors also instruct to avoid applying mascara and make-ups for 7 days, after the surgery. Swimming in hot tubs and gardening are also restricted for the following week. Although this eye surgery is mostly applicable for everyone, still some people are not suitable. People with a higher level of myopia or having higher hyperopia are not considered suitable for laser eye surgery. However, who may be the person, but after surgery, it is a must to take rest for at least a couple of days.
Why Can I Drive So Long After Lasik?
One of the sensitive parts of our human body is the eye. It gets affected very easily and it must be taken care of. Hence, when a laser eye surgery, like Lasik, is performed we must give the needed amount of time for the eye to take a rest. A little fickleness or rubbing the eye while feeling uncomfortable may create irritation and redness in the cornea. To avoid all these sunglasses are must at least for the first week. Considering the problem, it is also better if one continues wearing sunglasses post Lasik surgery.
It is important to not drive for at least a couple of days after Lasik, because it may end up bringing lot more complications. Although most patients feel free enough to drive after the surgery, later they feel soreness in their eyes. This may also land up making the vision blurry, which followingly end up making the drive unsafe and unstable.
For fast recovery after the Lasik surgery, one must have regular check-ups, resulting in regular medication. Eye drops must be taken in a fixed gap of time. No sport or eye pressure work must be followed on. The patient must not be allowed to look into harsh light and dim light is highly recommended.
With all these some precautions like, wearing eye masks and exposing your eye to water are some steps that can fasten up the recovery process after laser eye surgery. Rubbing eyes with dirty hands is also a bad reason to get a negative effect after the surgery. Therefore, these are the reasons why it takes this long to drive after Lasik surgery and how the process can be fastened.
Conclusion
As the most sensitive part of the body is getting recovered, therefore starting to drink alcohol suddenly after the Lasik surgery is never appreciated. Looking at the screens including TV, smartphone, computer, tablet, etc., is prohibited for at least 24 hours. After the completion of this initial resting period, one can slowly start up his previous timetable.
Although this surgery may seem a little complex, it is a very fast procedure. It hardly lasts for five to ten minutes and basically, it is painless. As the laser which performs surgery is backed and guided by the computer, the outcomes are very precise and the results are mostly accurate. This is all about laser eye surgery, known as Lasik.