Detroit LASIK patients regularly ask us, “How long does it take to see results from LASIK?” The short answer is both “right away” and “over the next few months.”
The detailed answer is more complex than that. How fast LASIK works for you may depend on many factors: the surgeon’s skill, your age and overall health, your ability to heal, your adherence to your eye doctor’s instructions and other factors.
Learn more about what results to expect from LASIK or SMILE procedure and when to expect them with these questions our patients frequently ask.
Frequently Asked Questions about LASIK:
Will I be able to see right after LASIK?
LASIK recovery time is typically very quick. In fact, some patients with severe refractive errors report dramatic improvement immediately. Most likely, though, you will experience some fuzziness in your vision for at least a few hours after LASIK surgery, but you should see enough to safely navigate your surroundings.
Over the next several hours and days, your vision will gradually improve, and you may find yourself already completely free of glasses or contacts.
Are there side effects from LASIK surgery?
Every surgery comes with risks and side effects, and LASIK is no different. Your surgeon will supply you with prescription antibiotics and steroids to prevent infection and aid healing, but you may have some discomfort in the first days after LASIK surgery:
- Sensitivity to light
- Dry eyes
- Eye itching
- Glare and halos, especially at night
These conditions are normal, and patients tell us all the time that the short-term discomforts are well worth the vision improvements they experience from a LASIK or SMILE procedure.
How long does it take to recover from LASIK?
Initial healing of the cornea happens extremely swiftly – within the first 6-12 hours of LASIK surgery! Within a day or so, most patients are cleared by their LASIK surgeon to return to work. Over the next days and weeks, eyes will continue to heal and become more comfortable, and vision will steadily improve.
For patients who qualify for SMILE, they are able to return to almost all activities the next day – including swimming, working out and using eye makeup.
When will I achieve my final results from LASIK?
Most patients are thrilled with their LASIK results within days or weeks – or even minutes! – of surgery. This is a sure sign that surgery was successful and perfectly appropriate for the patient’s eyes, vision goals and lifestyle.
This is not the end of the healing process. It may take your eyes up to several months to achieve your best corrected vision as your eyes completely stabilize. Your eye doctor will check your progress throughout to make sure you’re healing properly and achieving the best possible visual outcome.
Do you have LASIK questions of your own? Schedule a Detroit LASIK consultation with Dr. Khambati himself at Lake Lazer Eye Center, and get a personalized assessment and answers to your top questions.
Lake Lazer Eye Center offers up-front pricing, and convenient and affordable payment plans for SoftTouch LASIK and the SMILE procedure. Dr. Khambati has helped thousands of people from all over the world escape the restrictions of glasses and contacts. In the event that you’re not a candidate for vision correction, we’ll assist you with a contact lens evaluation or a selection of designer and specialty eyewear.
