LASIK Aftercare: Drops, Follow-Up and Activity Questions

Get written instructions before you leave

Before the procedure, ask the clinic to provide written aftercare instructions and explain them aloud. The document should tell you how to use each prescribed medicine, when to attend reviews, which symptoms require a call and how to reach the team after hours. Make sure the medicine names and timing are understandable, especially if you use drops for another eye condition.

Keep the instructions somewhere easy to find and set reminders if the schedule is complex. Ask what to do if you miss a dose, run out of medicine or cannot administer a drop. Do not double a dose, substitute another person’s drops or stop a prescribed medicine because your eyes feel better without first contacting the clinical team.

Use drops safely and avoid contamination

Wash your hands before handling an eye-drop bottle and avoid touching its tip to the eye, lashes or fingers. Use only products the clinician has approved for you. If you use multiple drops, ask whether they need to be spaced apart and in what order. Product instructions and prescriptions can differ, so general internet timing should not override your clinic’s written plan.

Do not share bottles, use leftover drops from a previous illness or add “redness relief” products without asking. If a bottle label is unclear or a dose causes a reaction, contact the prescriber. People with allergies, pregnancy or other health conditions should tell the surgeon before any new medicine is recommended.

Protect the eyes while healing

Avoid rubbing or pressing on the eyes. Your surgeon may recommend a shield or other protection for a period, particularly while sleeping; follow the instructions for fit and duration. Keep hands, towels and cosmetics clean, and ask the clinic about face washing and showering so water or products do not irritate the eye.

The team may restrict swimming, contact sports, dusty environments, make-up or strenuous activity for different lengths of time. The rules depend on the procedure and healing. Ask for specific dates or signs that show you may resume each activity; do not assume that one person’s social-media timeline applies to you.

Follow-up visits check more than visual sharpness

Scheduled reviews help the clinician assess healing, surface comfort, vision and pressure or other findings where relevant. Keep every visit even if you feel well or can read a chart clearly. If transport or work makes attendance difficult, raise this before scheduling rather than missing a check without telling the clinic.

Bring your drop list and mention symptoms, missed doses and questions. If one eye feels different from the other, describe when the difference began and what makes it better or worse. The clinician can decide whether an examination, medication adjustment or additional review is needed.

Know whom to contact and when

Save a direct contact route for the treating team before the procedure. Ask which number to use during clinic hours and after hours, what information to provide and where to go if you cannot reach the surgeon. Sudden worsening of vision, significant eye trauma, increasing severe pain or other urgent symptoms require prompt medical attention rather than waiting for a routine visit.

Do not rely on an online symptom list to reassure yourself. If you are worried, contact your clinic. If emergency care is needed and the surgeon is unavailable, use local urgent eye-care services. This website cannot assess the eye, see the surgical site or replace a clinician’s examination.

Make recovery manageable

• Arrange transport and practical help as advised, and keep the first days free of avoidable obligations.
• Use a written medicine chart or phone reminder; record doses only if your clinician recommends tracking them.
• Keep clean tissues, sunglasses and clinic contact details accessible, and do not rub the eyes.
• Ask separately about screens, work, driving, exercise, swimming, cosmetics and contact sports.
• Call the treating team promptly if symptoms worsen, medication is unclear or you cannot follow the plan.