When Does Lasik Fully Heal Up?

It’s no secret that lasik has a flap. This differentiates lasik from other laser eye surgeries such as PRK or SMILE. This flap has always been a source of concern for people getting lasik and so many people have an interest in when the eye will be fully healed up. Fortunately, this happens quickly and with laser created lasik flaps, it becomes very hard to disrupt the lasik flap after it heals up.

The lasik flap heals up in a few distinct phases. During the first few hours after lasik, the lasik flap is secured to the rest of the cornea by hydrostatic suction forces. The cells on the inside part of the cornea are constantly pumping water out of the cornea. By pumping water out, a suction is created that secures the lasik flap to the cornea. Following which the cells on the surface of the eye heal over the lasik flap in the first few hours to “lock” the lasik flap in place. (of note: the lasik flap is also locked in place by a cool feature of the laser. The edge of the lasik flap is created like a puzzle piece to lock in and be extra strong and secure)

The last and longest process for lasik to heal up is the normal healing process. When the body develops a wound, scar tissue is created to heal up the wound. Scar tissue is important to secure the wound and make it stronger. The exact same thing happens in lasik. A small amount of normal microscopic scarring at the edge of the lasik flap further secures and locks the lasik flap into place. This process takes some time to develop but by the one month mark, a good deal has already happened and this process continues gradually over time.

Short story, lasik doesn’t take long to heal up. Most of the healing happens within the first few days and after one month, it becomes very hard to cause any issues. Combine this with the short adjustment process for most people and you have a pretty easy procedure to undergo!

Also check out When Does The Corneal Flap Heal After Lasik? on EyeMountain.com

Related Articles