What’s the recovery period for surgery like?

The typical recovery process after Laser Eye Surgery is surprisingly quick and trouble-free. From the very first moments after the procedure, patients see significant improvements in their quality of vision, and as soon as the next day is back into their normal routine.

But not everyone is lucky enough to have a typical recovery.

In reality, the speed and smoothness of an individual’s journey back to full health varies according to things like age, health, the type of treatment, and the quality of the clinic/surgeon.

However, if you get this last one right and find a high-quality Laser Eye Surgery clinic, then your chances of experiencing a typical recovery rise dramatically.

This happens for a couple of reasons:

  1. The thoroughness of the screening process. A clinic with a rigorous screening program only accepts patients who are 100 per cent fit and suitable for surgery. What’s more, the more efficient their technology and detailed the assessments, the better able they are to build up an accurate treatment profile and avoid complications later.
  2. The treatments on offer. Some clinics have a tendency to promote less effective treatments as deals and offers. Therefore patients can often unwittingly receive treatments like PRK or LASEK that employ older technology and have longer and less comfortable recovery periods.
  3. The quality of the aftercare regime. Another problem that often accompanies bargain-basement prices is the exclusion of services like aftercare. Having access to your surgeon post-surgery and being able to visit the clinic for regular checkups is crucial to ensuring a smooth and trouble-free recovery.

With all of these bases covered, independent and private clinics like those found on Harley Street have some of the best recovery stats in the business.

The vast majority of patients who are treated in these clinics go through something like the following:

  • They sit up and observe the immediate improvements in their vision, noticing the crisp hands on the clock or the fine details on the surgeon’s face.
  • As it’s advised to avoid public transport — particularly the dusty Tube — and keep your eyes closed for the first few hours, they catch a ride home with a friend or family member and rest.
  • They spend the rest of day and the following day off work, taking care to stick to the recovery guidelines that say to avoid screens, alcohol, showers, and anything else that could irritate your eyes for the first 24 hours. They get into a routine with the lubricating eye drops provided by the clinic.
  • The next day they see their surgeon for the first aftercare checkup. Again, they may grab a ride with a friend or take a taxi. At this time the surgeon will review their progress and sign them off to return to work and most things that make up their normal routine.
  • Before they leave, they’re reminded of the side effects like night glare that can occur for several weeks or months, although they are very mild and will gradually disappear over time. They’re also advised they can once again fly, wear makeup, and do light exercise — although they need to wait until a month after surgery to engage in things like martial arts and rugby.
  • The optometrist will keep an eye on their progress at the 3-4 week aftercare examinations, but apart from spending some time away from contact sports and bar brawls and taking extra care of their eyes, life is pretty much back to normal. Albeit with a greater standard of vision and without the annoyances of contacts or glasses.

If you’d like to find out more about the Laser Eye Surgery recovery process or book a consultation with us, call us on 020 7224 1005.