WHAT HAPPENS AFTER LASER EYE SURGERY?

When you come to Medownick Laser Eye Clinic, you will be supported at every step on your journey to seeing naturally. This does not end with your surgery, and our Medownick Care Policy ensures that you will always receive the support and care you need.  

Medications and drops

You will be sent home after your surgery with all the medications and eye-drops you need until your next appointment with us, and straightforward instructions so that you know exactly what to do.  

The medications and drops you receive will depend on the procedure you had and your body’s needs, but it is important to take all of them exactly as directed. Even if your eyes feel comfortable and your vision is clear, for example, do not stop taking the lubricating drops until you have been advised to do so by our doctors.  

Patients receiving Touchless Robotic (Trans-PRK) laser surgery also have access to an online Patient Portal with detailed information about their at-home care, and a recap of the instructions given on the day. 

At-home hygiene

When you are at home, follow some common-sense hygiene guidelines to minimise the risk of developing any infection. These simple guidelines include:  

• Don’t get your eyes wet for a period of time (we will advise how long, depending on your procedure). Simply shower from the neck down and don’t go swimming  
• Don’t wear any eye-makeup for the first few days 
• Keep pets out of the room with you for the first few days, as their fine hairs can cause infection  
• Depending on your procedure, you may need to wait a little while before you resume activities like visiting the gym, contact sports, and flying (we will advise how long to wait, depending on your procedure)  
• If you had Touchless Robotic Trans-PRK surgery, you will be encouraged to rest and relax for three days 

Laser patient hotline 

You will be given a phone number that you can call if you are experiencing an emergency after your surgery. This number goes directly through to a qualified member of our team who will speak with you personally to help you through anything you are experiencing.  

Follow-up appointments

When you leave our clinic after your laser eye surgery, you will be given a date and time for your first follow-up appointment. It is very important that you don’t skip this appointment, as we will need to monitor your healing progress and the improvement to your vision.  

What to expect in the coming months

It is important to remember that each of our procedures, and each individual body, heals in different ways and at different rates. To give you an idea of the “average” journey to healing, the majority of our patients experience something close to the following:  

• Touchless Robotic Trans-PRK: vision is markedly better almost immediately after surgery, and continues to improve daily, over the coming months  
• LASIK: vision is immediately better and most patients achieve at or close-to 20/20 vision in the first four hours, but may experience some slight fluctuation for a couple of weeks 
• SmartSight Laser: vision is immediately better and continues to improve while fluctuating for the next three to four weeks, before settling  

After three to six months, regardless of the procedure, you should be fully enjoying your natural vision!