Maple Eye and Laser Center
Care Instructions After your LASIK Procedure

Care Instructions for After your LASIK Procedure

happy patient speaking with an eye surgeon

There is no doubt that LASIK, or laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, is one of the most common elective surgeries in the world today. LASIK can correct refractive vision errors such as near and far-sightedness and astigmatism by reshaping the corneal tissue, which it does using state of the art laser technology. It may sound daunting, but the results for LASIK speak for themselves and a report by the American Refractive Surgery Council shows that 99% of patients achieve better than 20/40 vision, with more than 90% reaching 20/20 or better. LASIK also has an unprecedented satisfaction rate at 96%, which is the highest of any elective procedure in the world.

If you are having LASIK laser eye surgery, our surgeon will certainly be speaking to you about the importance of post-procedure eye care. The first few days after your surgery are extremely important, especially if you are to have the best possible outcome for your eyesight.

Here is everything that you need to know about caring for your eyes after LASIK laser eye surgery.

Immediately after your surgery

Straight after your procedure your eyes may feel quite uncomfortable. Common sensations including itching, burning and general irritation like there is something inside your eyes. Mild pain is also to be expected although not every patient will experience this.

Once our surgeon is happy that everything has gone according to plan, you will be discharged home. It is essential that you have someone drive you, and you will not be able to drive again until our surgeon has checked the quality of your vision. During your journey home, wear sunglasses and relax your eyes as much as possible, trying to keep them closed.

If you can, the best thing to do is to take a nap immediately after you get home. You will need to wear the plastic eye shield provided and try and rest your eyes for around three or four hours. After this point, you can remove the plastic shields, but you must follow the aftercare instructions provided by our surgeon.

General post-LASIK care advice

Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes in the days after your surgery. Not only will they be very sensitive, but this could cause you to develop an infection. It could also cause interruption to the healing of the flap created in your LASIK surgery.

Wear your plastic eye shields when you are sleeping, as these will prevent you from inadvertently touching or irritating your eyes. You may want to wear sunglasses in the days after your procedure if your eyes feel particularly sensitive to light.

Our surgeon will prescribe you eye drops which are to be used to lubricate your eyes and help prevent a condition known as ‘dry eye’. Use these exactly as directed to help your eyes feel comfortable.

Rest your eyes as much as possible for at least 24/48 hours after your LASIK laser eye surgery. This means avoiding reading, watching tv and using the computer. This will benefit the healing process.

Avoid wearing eye cosmetics and getting soap and water in your eyes for at least 5 days. Should any get into your eyes, it could cause irritation and potential infection. You should also avoid hot tubs and swimming pools for at least three weeks.

You will not be able to drive until you have had the quality of your vision checked by our surgeon. This will usually happen in your follow-up appointment a couple of days after your LASIK surgery.


If you have any concerns at all, you should contact and speak to our laser eye surgeon as soon as possible. Don’t wait until your post-operative check-up!