Tips for Driving After LASIK: Patient Healing and Recovery
LASIK surgery is safe and effective, allowing people to see clearly without the need for glasses and contacts. Patients who come to our Merrillville eye care center achieve great vision and are able to see the world in a better light.
As patients recover from LASIK surgery, there are a few things they need to keep in mind for safety and proper healing. The issue of driving after LASIK comes up a fair amount. Let's take a moment to consider driving and your vision quality in the early days of LASIK recovery.
What's My Vision Like After Getting LASIK?
After undergoing LASIK surgery, patients will typically notice some issues with blurry or hazy vision. This is natural after the cornea has been surgically adjusted, and may last for a few hours. With time, vision tends to improve quite dramatically.
Can I Drive Home After My LASIK Surgery?
No.
Given that your vision may be impaired to some degree after LASIK surgery, it is potentially unsafe for you to drive right after the procedure has been performed. Patients will be asked to have a loved one present to drive them home after the surgery is completed. After returning home, patients should get ample rest and relax their eyes.
Follow-Up Visit for LASIK Patients
The following day, patients usually return to the practice for a follow-up visit. This will allow the LASIK surgeon to assess the recovery of the patient in the firs 24 hours. This can be a crucial time for healing, so a follow-up visit at this point can reduce the potential for complications or prevent a minor complication from becoming more serious down the road.
Can I Drive Home After My Follow-Up Visit?
Maybe.
During the follow-up visit, the LASIK surgeon will assess a patient's vision. Some patients may be well enough to drive home from the follow-up visit. Other patients may need to wait a day or so before they can drive again. Healing shouldn't be rushed, and sometimes waiting a bit longer is for the sake of safety.
Be sure to have someone who can drive you to and from the follow-up visit. This is a common sense approach to any vision issues you may be facing.
Issues with Night Vision
Contrast sensitivity and light sensitivity are both common side effects after LASIK surgery. Because of this, patients often experience serious issues with night vision for the first week or so after surgery. At nighttime, you may not be able to see objects clearly, especially if streetlights or headlights are coming at you or are the only source of illumination. This can make driving at night very dangerous.
In many cases, LASIK patients are instructed to avoid driving at night for several days after their surgery has been performed.
Tips About Traveling at Nighttime
In order to stay safe as you commute at night, be sure to consider the following tips:
- Get rides from family, friends, and co-workers if possible
- Use mass transit if it is convenient for your job
- Consider the use of cabs or apps that provide car services
Be sure to attend all follow-up visits as scheduled. Your LASIK surgeon will let you know if your vision has improved sufficiently for you to drive at night safely.
Contact Our Laser Eye Care Experts
If you would like to learn more about LASIK surgery and how it can help you achieve great eyesight, be sure to contact our team of advanced eye care specialists today. We will provide ample information about the procedure and how to recovery free from complications.