Post Operative Overview

After laser surgery

Do not plan any important activities after your surgery. You must rest and put artificial tears in your eyes at least every hour during the first few hours, to help the healing process of the cornea and help with your comfort.

The following nights, while sleeping, you must wear the provided protective eyecup over the operated eye to avoid touching it in your sleep.

The first follow-up visit will be the day after surgery at the IRIS Ophthalmology Clinic. The following visits may be with your local optometrist. Please allow some free time for subsequent follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months. You may be asked to schedule more visits.

In case of emergency, you may reach your ophthalmologist at the number provided with your package.

Visual recovery

The LASIK surgery is characterized by a rapid visual recovery period, allowing the majority of people to resume activities 24 hours after surgery. Whereas one requires more patience after PRK, as it takes at least 5 days before activities can be resumed. However, some people will experience a gradual improvement in the quality of their vision, for as long as 6 to 12 months after surgery. Stabilization of vision is generally achieved within 3 months.

It is recommended to wear safety glasses, as deemed necessary, during the first 3 months after surgery; especially if you practice activities or sports involving high risk of impact on the eyes.

It is normal to experience dry eyes after surgery, particularly during the first month. This symptom can, in fact, persist for more than 3 months. Regular use of artificial tears during this period reduces the intensity of symptoms.

The results

In the majority of cases, the final correction is about ± 0.50 dioptres from the initial objective. This allows most people to regain a level of freedom without eyewear for most of their daily activities, including driving their car. The post-operative result depends largely on the degree of myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism to be corrected.

If you are slightly over- or under-corrected according to the surgery objective, eyewear may occasionally be required for certain precision tasks, under certain conditions.

If you are over 40, you will eventually need to wear glasses for close-up work (reading, computer work, etc.). If you have chosen the Presbyopic Laser Treatment, it may be necessary at times to balance your eyes with prescription reading glasses (precision tasks mostly).

You may consider a retreatment if your visual outcome does not allow you to be free from eyewear during most of your daily activities. This enhancement can be considered 3 months after surgery, if deemed safe and necessary by your ophthalmologist. It is important to wait for the complete stabilization of the healing process before proceeding.

Possible complications

Laser vision correction has minimal risk of complications. By definition, a complication is an unpredictable event, which can result in a temporary or permanent reduction in the quality of the vision, one that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Your ophthalmologist will review with you the possible risks related to your surgery, in order to help you make a well-informed decision.