LASIK Do's and Don'ts: Complete Aftercare Guide for Best Results

DO: First 24-48 Hours

• DO use prescribed eye drops exactly as instructed (set phone alarms — don't rely on memory)
• DO wear the protective shield when sleeping for 7 nights
• DO wear sunglasses when outdoors (UV protection + reduces light sensitivity)
• DO rest with eyes closed as much as possible in the first 4-6 hours
• DO sleep on your back or unoperated side — never face down
• DO use lubricating drops liberally — every 30-60 minutes if needed
• DO call your surgeon with any concerns — pain, sudden vision change, severe redness

DON'T: First 24-48 Hours

• DON'T rub your eyes — even gently. This is the #1 rule.
• DON'T touch or press on your eyes when applying drops (use the lower eyelid)
• DON'T get water in your eyes — be careful when showering
• DON'T watch TV/use screens for the first 2-3 hours after surgery
• DON'T drive until your day-1 follow-up clears you
• DON'T drink alcohol for 24-48 hours (interferes with medications)
• DON'T smoke — slows healing
• DON'T sleep on your stomach — risk of flap displacement

DO: First Week

• DO continue all eye drops as scheduled
• DO take 1-2 days off work if possible
• DO use lubricating drops generously, especially during screen work
• DO take 5-10 minute breaks every 30 minutes when reading or using computer
• DO wear sunglasses outdoors
• DO stay hydrated — 2.5-3 litres water daily
• DO eat well — protein, fruits, vegetables for healing
• DO attend your day-1 and week-1 follow-ups — non-negotiable

DON'T: First Week

• DON'T rub your eyes (still the #1 rule)
• DON'T swim or take baths — only quick showers with face protection
• DON'T use eye makeup (mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow)
• DON'T do heavy exercise, gym, or yoga
• DON'T do contact sports or activities with eye-impact risk
• DON'T enter dusty environments (construction sites, heavy traffic)
• DON'T expose eyes to chemicals — hair colouring, spa treatments, harsh cleaning products

Weeks 2-4: Gradual Resumption

OK to resume: - Light gym, jogging, yoga (no inversions or face-down poses) - Travel by air, train, road - Eye makeup (use NEW products to avoid contamination) - Reduced eye drops as your surgeon's tapering schedule indicates - Driving at night (start cautious — halos may be present)

Still avoid: - Swimming (allowed week 4 with goggles) - Contact sports (allowed week 4-6) - Saunas, steam rooms - Eye rubbing (always)

Long-Term Care (Beyond 6 Weeks)

DO: - Annual comprehensive eye exam — same as everyone else - Use sunglasses with UV protection outdoors - Use lubricating drops if dry-eye symptoms persist (becomes optional after 3-6 months for most) - Eat eye-healthy diet (greens, eggs, fish, nuts, citrus) - Get prompt evaluation for any sudden vision changes, pain, or persistent dryness

DON'T: - Don't ignore future vision changes — annual checks catch issues early - Don't assume you'll never need glasses — presbyopia (reading glasses) develops naturally after 40 - Don't skip warning signs — sudden floaters, flashes, or curtain shadow needs same-day evaluation (signs of retinal issue, not LASIK-related but important)

How Should I Take Care of My Eyes After LASIK? The Precautions That Matter Most

The precautions that protect your result most are simple: use your drops exactly as prescribed, never rub your eyes, keep water and dirt out of them, protect them from knocks, and attend every follow-up.

If you remember only five things:

1. No rubbing for at least 4 weeks, and avoid vigorous rubbing for life.
2. Drops on time — antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops for as long as prescribed, lubricants generously.
3. No water, soap or make-up in the eyes for the first 1-2 weeks.
4. Sunglasses outdoors and the eye shield at night for the first week.
5. Follow-ups on day 1, week 1, month 1 and later, even if you see perfectly.

Indian conditions need a little extra care: dust, two-wheeler wind, smoky kitchens, festival crackers and colours, monsoon humidity and AC offices all affect a healing eye. Wear sunglasses in traffic, keep away from Holi colours, crackers and incense smoke for the first few weeks, and sit away from direct AC airflow.

What Should I Avoid After LASIK Surgery? Activities and When They Resume

These are the activities to avoid after LASIK and when most patients can resume them. Your surgeon may adjust them for your eyes.

• Eye rubbing: Never for at least 4 weeks; avoid vigorous rubbing permanently.
• Screens: Avoid for the first few hours; short sessions from the evening of surgery; normal use with breaks from day 2-3.
• Driving: From 24-48 hours after day-1 clearance; night driving after 1-2 weeks.
• Water in the eyes, face washing: Careful from day 1; normal face washing from day 7.
• Eye make-up: Usually from week 2 (7-10 days at the very earliest); kajal on the waterline later.
• Alcohol: Avoid for 24-48 hours.
• Smoking: Avoid for at least 2 weeks, ideally for good.
• Gym and yoga: Light from days 7-10; normal from week 2; inversions about week 4.
• Swimming: Pool from about week 4 with goggles; sea, lake or river from about weeks 6-8.
• Saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs: After 4-6 weeks.
• Contact sports: After 4-6 weeks with surgeon clearance.
• Dusty places, crackers, Holi colours, hair colouring, spa facials: Avoid for at least the first 1-2 weeks, longer for anything that could splash into the eye.

For detail on exercise and swimming, see our guide to exercise, sports and swimming after LASIK.

Showers, Baths, Face Washing and Shampoo: When Can Water Touch My Eyes?

You can shower or take a bucket bath from the neck down on day 1 and wash your hair carefully from day 1-2, but keep water, soap and shampoo out of your eyes for the first 7-10 days.

• Shower or bath: From day 1, keeping your face out of the stream and your eyes closed. A neck-down bucket bath is the easiest option in the first few days.
• Hair wash: Tilt your head back, as at a salon, or ask someone to help, so shampoo runs away from your face. Many people find it easiest to wash hair on day 2 after the day-1 check.
• Face washing: For the first week, clean your face with a damp cloth or cotton, avoiding the eye area. Normal face washing from day 7, still patting dry rather than rubbing.
• Soaking in a bathtub: Avoid for the first week; avoid hot tubs and jacuzzis for 4-6 weeks.
• When water can touch your eyes: Splashes of clean tap water are usually fine from about day 7-10. Swimming pool water waits about 4 weeks, and sea, river or lake water about 6-8 weeks.

Tap water, soap and shampoo are not toxic to the eye, but they can carry germs and sting, and the sting is what makes people rub. If something does get in, don't rub — blink, rinse with your lubricating drops, and call the clinic if pain or blurring does not settle.

Make-up, Mascara, Eyeliner and Kajal After LASIK

Avoid all eye make-up for at least 7-10 days after LASIK, and most surgeons prefer you wait 2 weeks. Kajal or kohl applied to the inner rim of the eyelid (the waterline) should wait longer, usually 3-4 weeks.

Eye make-up is restricted because it can carry bacteria into a healing eye, its particles can flake into the eye and irritate it, and applying and removing it involves pulling and rubbing the eyelids. That is how make-up can cause infection or inflammation after LASIK, although with sensible timing it rarely does.

When you restart:

• Use new products — new mascara, eyeliner and kajal — because old tubes and pencils harbour bacteria.
• Start with face make-up (foundation, blush, lipstick) after a few days if you keep it well away from the eyes.
• Eyeshadow and eyeliner on the outer lash line usually come next, from week 2.
• Mascara from week 2, keeping it on the tips of the lashes and avoiding waterproof formulas that need hard rubbing to remove.
• Kajal on the waterline last, from about weeks 3-4, because it sits directly against the tear film.
• Remove gently with a soft pad and an oil-free remover, wiping outwards with eyes closed.
• Avoid false lashes, lash extensions and lash glue for at least the first month.

For weddings and functions, plan surgery at least 3-4 weeks before the date so you can wear full eye make-up comfortably.

Rubbing, Crying and Touching Your Eyes

Do not rub your eyes for at least 4 weeks after LASIK. Rubbing is the most common avoidable cause of flap problems, especially in the first 1-2 weeks when the flap is still settling.

What happens if you rub your eyes after LASIK: A light accidental touch usually does nothing. A firm rub can wrinkle or shift the flap, causing blurred or distorted vision, pain or watering. This needs prompt treatment, usually by lifting and smoothing the flap, and the outcome is generally good when it is caught early. Late, vigorous habitual rubbing is also bad for any cornea and is best avoided for life.

To avoid rubbing:

• Use lubricating drops as soon as your eyes feel itchy or gritty.
• Wear the shield at night for the first week so you don't rub in your sleep.
• If you have allergies, ask your surgeon for a suitable anti-allergy drop rather than rubbing.
• Keep nails short and hands clean.

Crying is safe after LASIK. Tears do not harm the cornea and actually lubricate it. The only risk is wiping your eyes hard — dab the cheeks and the skin below the eye with a clean tissue instead. Strong emotional crying with lots of eye squeezing in the first day or two is best avoided where possible, but it will not undo the surgery.

Cooking, Food, Alcohol and Smoking After LASIK

You can cook simple meals from about day 2, eat normally, and drink alcohol in moderation after 24-48 hours, but avoid smoke and smoking.

Cooking: Light cooking is fine from day 2. For the first week avoid steam bursts in your face (pressure cookers, steamers), smoky tadka, deep frying with hot-oil splashes, and tandoor or grill smoke. Wear sunglasses or plain protective glasses near the stove for the first 7-10 days, and wash your hands well after chopping chillies or onions before touching your face or drops.

Food: There are no foods you must avoid after LASIK. Spicy food does not affect healing. Drink plenty of water, and a balanced diet with protein, fruit, vegetables and omega-3 sources such as fish, walnuts and flaxseed supports healing and tear quality.

Alcohol: Avoid it for the first 24-48 hours. It dehydrates you and makes dry eye worse, and it should not be combined with some medicines. After that, moderate drinking is fine; drink extra water and use extra lubricating drops.

Smoking: Avoid smoking for at least 2 weeks and avoid smoky rooms. Smoke irritates the eye surface, worsens dry eye and slows healing. LASIK is a good moment to quit altogether.

Sunglasses, UV Protection and Sunlight After LASIK

Wear good UV-blocking sunglasses outdoors for at least the first 2 weeks after LASIK, and most surgeons advise doing so for the first month. After that, UV protection is good long-term habit rather than a LASIK rule.

Can sunlight affect LASIK recovery? Normal sunlight will not undo your correction or damage the flap. The problems in the first weeks are light sensitivity and glare, which are common and settle over 1-3 weeks, and dust and wind. Sunglasses deal with all three and stop you squinting and rubbing.

Which sunglasses: Choose lenses labelled UV400 or 100% UV protection, with a wrap-around or large frame to block dust and wind. Dark tint alone does not mean UV protection. Polarised lenses help with glare while driving.

Do you need UV protection long term? Not because of LASIK. But in the strong Indian sun, UV protection reduces the long-term risk of problems such as pterygium (a growth on the white of the eye) and is generally recommended for everyone. After surface treatments such as PRK, surgeons are often stricter about UV in the first months, so follow their specific advice.

Glasses and Contact Lenses After LASIK

You can wear sunglasses, plain protective glasses and, if you ever need them, prescription glasses after LASIK. Contact lenses should not be worn in the first weeks and are usually only refitted, if needed at all, after your vision has stabilised at around 3 months.

Glasses: Most patients don't need glasses for distance after LASIK. Wearing sunglasses or zero-power protective glasses is completely safe from day 1. If there is a small residual power, glasses are the simplest correction while you wait for the eye to stabilise. People over about 40 will need reading glasses for close work because LASIK does not treat presbyopia.

Contact lenses: Don't wear any contact lens — including coloured or cosmetic lenses — unless your surgeon specifically advises it. A bandage lens is sometimes placed by the surgeon for comfort; that is different and is removed at the clinic. If you need lenses later for a residual power, your eye doctor should do a fresh fitting, because the cornea is a different shape after LASIK and old lenses will not fit correctly. Usually this is not before about 3 months, once vision is stable. An enhancement treatment, when suitable, is often a better long-term answer than going back to lenses.