If you’re planning on having LASIK eye surgery, you may have many questions on your mind. “How long after LASIK can I drive?” is one of the most commonly asked questions. While you can return to your routine quickly, certain restrictions may apply. Here’s more about this incredibly effective treatment option and driving after it.
Life after LASIK
For many, wearing glasses or contacts is a pain. While these are the standard solutions to correct common vision problems like nearsightedness and farsightedness, they can get in the way and become an inconvenience, depending on your lifestyle. LASIK eye surgery can be quick, safe, and effective for treating eye problems like near-sightedness, long-sightedness, and astigmatism. It’s a transformative treatment with a very high success rate, allowing visual freedom and reducing reliance on glasses and contacts.
After LASIK, there’s minimal downtime and you can get back to your everyday life quickly, often within 24 hours. Each patient’s healing process can differ, but it generally takes a few months to gain full visual clarity. Within the first 24-48 hours, you will likely start feeling better and seeing better. There could be a slight gritty sensation in your eyes, distortion, and irritation, but it subsides with time. You can do several everyday things but nothing that requires complete focus like driving.
Driving After LASIK
Once your surgery is completed and everything looks fine, you’ll be good to go home. Since your eyes will be fresh out of the surgery, they’d need some time to adjust to the outdoor environment. You will be given sunglasses after LASIK to protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays as well protect against as any irritants or particles that could aggravate your eyes.
You might also experience light sensitivity and blurriness, so you must have someone accompany you home. If you’ve were prescribed a sedative before the surgery, your reaction time could be slowed. For this reason, getting in the driver’s seat is risky and not allowed.
Once you are home, sleep well for the rest of the day. You’ll notice your vision clearing up within a day, and you can resume your routine but avoid activities that can strain your eyes. Giving your eyes the care they deserve will ensure the best results.
Now, the original question was, “How long after LASIK can I drive?” You can drive short distances after 24 hours as long as you feel comfortable. If you’re experiencing halos, glares, starbursts, double vision, etc., give your eyes some time to stabilize. Most patients can drive the next day following the surgery or at most within one or two weeks after, depending on how well the eyes heal. Eventually, even your night vision improves and you should be able to fully resume your routine within weeks.
Talk to your surgeon about the necessary post-operative care steps to speed up your recovery. Ask them any questions you have, like:
- How soon after the surgery will I be able to see clearly?
- How long after LASIK can I drive?
- What are the possible side effects?
- How to manage pain, redness, and swelling?
- When can I return to work?
- What activities should I avoid?
- How soon can I wear makeup?
- When can I take a shower?
- Will I need glasses?
These (and many more!) are the questions we’ve heard from our patients; you should ask about them all if you aren’t sure, too. Follow your doctor’s advice and never miss follow-up appointments to ensure optimal results. In short, to answer the question, you:
- Should NOT drive on the day of your LASIK surgery (it’s not safe or advisable.)
- Can drive the next day if necessary (in the absence of pain, halos, glares, and other discomfort or pending the specific recommendations of your eye surgeon).
Your vision must be sufficiently clear to start driving after LASIK. Once your LASIK surgeon checks your eyes during your follow-up appointment, which is the next day of the surgery, you should be able to determine when to start driving and do other tasks. In some cases, you may need glasses to manage fluctuations, presbyopia, glaucoma, etc. Talk to your doctor about needing glasses to set realistic expectations and start driving confidently.
Discuss Your LASIK Questions With Us!
If you’re contemplating LASIK, questions and concerns can arise. At Woodhams Eye Clinic, we are here to answer all of your questions so you can make informed decisions about your eye health and have the best possible outcome following your LASIK surgery. Call 770-394-4000 now or book an appointment online and schedule your FREE LASIK consultation today.