LASIK Day 1: What to Expect

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

Day 1 is usually the day vision jumps. The Academy says that in most cases you can return to work and drive the day after the procedure, and that the day after surgery your eye doctor will test your vision and check that the eye is healing as it should. The FDA says you should see your doctor within the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery, and that at this first postoperative visit the doctor removes the eye shield, tests your vision, and examines your eye.

Vision on day 1 is often good enough for normal life but not yet crisp. The FDA says vision will probably be hazy or blurry right after surgery and that these early symptoms should improve considerably within the first few days. Expect the eye to feel dry and to want more blinking than usual. StatPearls reports dry eye in roughly 85 to 98 percent of patients one week after surgery because corneal nerves were cut during the procedure.

The biggest job on day 1 is protecting the flap and staying on the drop schedule. The FDA says the flap is held in place without stitches, which is exactly why the shield and the no rubbing rule exist. If pain is severe, or if vision or any other symptom is getting worse instead of better, the FDA says contact your doctor immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled visit.

Usually normal at this stage

hazy or blurry vision that is still better than before surgery
dryness and a scratchy or gritty feeling
watering or tearing in both eyes
sensitivity to light
glare, starbursts, or halos around lights at night
red or bloodshot looking white of the eye
mild discomfort or mild pain

Still off-limits

do not rub the eye, the FDA says rubbing could dislodge the flap
wear the eye shield as instructed, especially while sleeping
take all prescribed drops on schedule
do not put a contact lens in the operated eye even if vision is blurry
no swimming, hot tubs, or whirlpools
no eye makeup, lotions, or creams around the eye
no non-contact sports yet, the FDA says wait one to three days

Call your surgeon now if you notice any of these

Severe eye pain, or pain that gets worse instead of better, at any point after surgery
Vision or any other symptom that is getting worse instead of better, rather than improving over the first days
Sudden decrease or sudden loss of vision in either eye
Any new or unusual symptom at any point after surgery, which the FDA says could signal a problem that may lead to loss of vision if not treated early enough
Signs the corneal flap may have moved, such as a sudden sharp foreign body or scratching sensation, sudden blurring, tearing, and light sensitivity, especially after rubbing, bumping, or being hit in the eye. The FDA warns that rubbing the eye could dislodge the flap, and StatPearls lists flap dislodgement among corneal flap complications reported in about 0.1 to 4 percent of patients
Signs of diffuse lamellar keratitis, a sterile inflammation in the layer under the flap, which StatPearls says usually appears one to two days after surgery in as many as 1 in 50 cases and shows up as blurriness and a foreign body sensation. It typically resolves with appropriate steroid treatment after about a week, but it needs the surgeon to see it and change your drops
Signs of infection, such as increasing redness, discharge, worsening light sensitivity, and dropping vision. StatPearls reports infectious keratitis in less than 0.1 percent of patients, with atypical mycobacteria typically appearing one to two weeks after surgery
Any eye injury or blunt trauma to the operated eye, at any time after LASIK, because the flap interface never regains full corneal strength
New floaters, flashes of light, or a curtain or shadow across part of your vision. StatPearls lists retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, and posterior vitreous detachment among rare complications occurring in less than 0.1 percent of patients

These warning signs after LASIK can point to problems that need same-day care. Do not wait for your next scheduled visit. If you cannot reach your surgeon's office, use their on-call line, or go to an emergency room.

Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration; StatPearls Publishing, NCBI Bookshelf; Journal of Refractive Surgery

Sources

What should I expect before, during, and after surgery? U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Laser Surgery Recovery American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) StatPearls Publishing, NCBI Bookshelf. Accessed 2026-08-25.

LASIK Day 1: What to Expect

Usually normal at this stage

Still off-limits

More on LASIK recovery

Sources