Nothing beats the heat like a nice dip in the pool or the exhilarating rush of surfing a good wave. And because we are located in the sunny state of Florida, many of our patients inquire about returning to swimming or surfing following LASIK. Once your eyes have fully healed from your LASIK procedure, you can enjoy swimming with clear vision, without the worry of fumbling with eyeglasses or losing a contact lens.
General Eyecare Guidelines for LASIK Recovery
Full LASIK eye surgery recovery takes about 3-6 months but even after the healing process is complete, you should make sure to take considerate care of your eyes. To keep your eyes healthy and achieve the best possible results, use lubricating eye drops or artificial tears prescribed by your doctor since dry eyes are a common symptom after surgery. You should also not wear eye makeup since taking it off could cause you to rub your eyes and scratch them. Blurry vision is common at first but most patients will start to see clearly again after a few days. Follow up appointments will be scheduled so that your surgeon can check the recovery process and healing of your eyes. If you experience severe pain, please consult your eye doctor immediately.
KNOW YOUR DOCTOR
Dr.Archana Gupta
Cataract Surgeon, Opthalmologist, Cornea & External Diseases Specialist
Dr. Archana Gupta is a board certified ophthalmologist. She specializes in cataract, cornea, external diseases and refractive surgery.
Guidelines Regarding Water Activities
While you will need to avoid water for a short period following LASIK surgery, you will be able to return to your favorite activities soon! Your eyes will be more vulnerable to irritation and infection in the weeks directly following your surgery, which is when you should be extra cautious. The following timeline is a general guide on how quickly you can return to the water:
After 3-4 weeks: Three weeks after LASIK surgery you can return to all water sports, including surfing as long as you get the “OK” from your doctor. However, it is important that you wear protective gear for your eyes and do not rub your eyes if water gets in them. Instead, carefully pat them dry.
After 4+ weeks: At this point, you can return to swimming and water sports without goggles or protective eyewear. You no longer have to be extra cautious about water getting into your eyes, and can even open your eyes underwater if you wish! After 4 weeks, it should also be safe to continue with any contact sports.
Guidelines Regarding Sun Protection
Swimming and sunshine often go hand-in-hand in Florida, which is why it is important for our LASIK patients to understand the importance of sun protection as well. After your surgery, you must take extra care to protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays. We advise patients to wear sunglasses with UV protection whenever they are outdoors for at least 6 weeks after LASIK. This rule applies to everything from taking a stroll down the street to spending the day at the beach.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
If you are interested in learning more about how LASIK can benefit you or have questions regarding life after LASIK, contact Advanced Eye Surgeons in Boca Raton & Tamarac, FL today. We will be happy to schedule your consultation with one of our expert eye surgeons.
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“Everyone deserves to witness the beauty of our world in its full glory.”