Behavior after the eye laser surgery

What should be considered after eye laser surgery?

Most of our patients can see well shortly after the laser eye surgery. You can make your own way home – regardless of whether you are treated with a LASIK or PRK method. 

Please note: You are not allowed to drive a vehicle immediately after the treatment – please use public transport or arrange to be picked up. 

In the first few hours after the treatment, there may be a slight burning sensation, itching or a foreign body sensation in the eye. This is completely normal and is not a complication. 

With the LASIK and Femto-LASIK methods, the flap protects the lasered area on the cornea like a natural healing patch after the treatment. Please be careful not to rub your eyes. During the day, sunglasses help not to unconsciously touch your eyes. We recommend that our patients wear a light sleeping mask at night. 

Even if you are treated with the PRK/LASEK or Trans-PRK method, you should avoid rubbing your eyes in the first few hours after the laser correction. With these methods, instead of the flap, a medical contact lens protects the treated area for the first few days. Again, to avoid delaying this, we recommend wearing sunglasses or a sleep mask if you feel the need to rub your eyes. Compared to the LASIK method, the foreign body sensation can be somewhat stronger in the first few hours after the treatment.

Please follow the drop plan discussed before the treatment exactly. In this way you make an important contribution to the speedy recovery of your vision and the avoidance of an infection of the eye. 


How long does it take to heal after laser eye surgery?

After 24 hours, the eye has partially recovered and visual acuity has improved. However, the final stability is only reached after several weeks. Fluctuations in visual acuity are therefore quite normal. 

With LASIK or Femto-LASIK treatment, most of our patients are fully operational again just one or two days after the laser eye surgery. 

With PRK/LASEK and Trans-PRK, the regeneration time of the eyes after the treatment takes a little longer than with LASIK or Femto-LASIK: 

Expect four to seven days for visual acuity to build up. Driving can be difficult during this time. 

You should not rub your eyes for a few days after the laser eye surgery. 

Please use the eye drops prescribed by your treating specialist, which you take in decreasing doses in the following weeks. 

Sport after the eye surgery 

You should avoid sweaty and strenuous sports such as contact, ball and martial arts and Downhill Mountain biking for two weeks. This “rest phase” serves to regenerate your eyes. 

Light sport, such as running, going to the gym or simply riding a bike is allowed after just one or two days if you ensure that no foreign objects get into your eyes with adequate eye protection (e.g. sunglasses). You should avoid activities in very dusty and drafty environments in the first week.

Swimming after eye surgery

In the first two weeks after the eye surgery you should also avoid diving, swimming, sauna and solarium. Heat and chlorine/salt water could irritate your eyes unnecessarily.

Shower after the eye surgery 

In the first three days after the eye surgery using the LASIK method, you should avoid direct contact of tap water with your eyes. After LASEK/PRK or Trans-PRK, you should protect your eyes from it until the protective contact lens is removed. Tap water is not sterile because it contains so-called micro germs that could promote infection after eye surgery. 

Our tip: Just get waterproof swimming goggles before the treatment (e.g. in a sports shop or drugstore). This protects your eyes when showering! 

Flying after the eye surgery

If necessary, you can travel as usual just one day after the treatment. However, please note that the cabin air in the aircraft is very dry. We therefore recommend taking artificial tears on board on long-haul flights (more than 4 hours) so that you can moisten your eyes with them at regular intervals.

Computer work after the eye surgery

After eye laser treatment, most patients can work on the computer again the very next day.

Make-up after the eye surgery

Bacteria can easily accumulate in mascara and kajal. In order to rule out this possible source of infection after the eye surgery and also to avoid the ingress of foreign body particles such as mascara or eye shadow, you should refrain from eye make-up in the first week after the treatment. Rubbing the eyes, which is almost unavoidable when removing make-up, should also be avoided at all costs. The use of make-up or a tinted day cream and rouge is possible if the eye area is avoided.


The Eye Drops Plan

Take your eye drops according to the drop schedule, which we will discuss with you in detail before the treatment. The correct application of the eye drops is particularly important to ensure an optimal healing process.

You can download the drop plans for the individual treatments here:


Do I have to be prepared for pain after the eye laser surgery?

No, you don’t need to expect pain either during or after the laser eye surgery. After an eye laser correction with a LASIK method, the flap protects the treated area of ​​the cornea like a natural plaster. A slight foreign body sensation may occur in the first few hours after treatment. However, this can usually be compensated very well with moisturizing eye drops. 

With the PRK method, the top layer of the cornea has to rebuild itself. Patients with this treatment method therefore experience a foreign body sensation in the first few days, which, however, improves quickly. 

Follow-up appointments

In the first few weeks after your treatment, you will usually have three follow-up appointments at our locations. This is how we accompany the optimal restoration of your vision. As a rule, these appointments take place at the following intervals after the treatment:

After LASIK or Femto-LASIK treatment:

  • 1 day
  • 1 week
  • 3 months

After PRK/LASEK or Trans-PRK treatment:

  • 4-5 day
  • 2 weeks
  • 3 months

If necessary, further follow-up appointments are possible. We want you to feel optimally cared for even after the treatment and are there for you around the clock on site or by phone.

We wish you a great start into a new life without glasses or contact lenses.