LASIKblog

Seeing postoperative patients Saturday morning reminded us that healing time, and visual recovery after LASIK, can vary depending on a number of factors. A 24 year old patient with a -5.00 correction in both eyes was 20/15 in both eyes 20 hours after "All-Laser LASIK". A 55 year old patient with a great deal of astigmatism was only 20/30 in one eye, and 20/40 in the other eye, 20 hours after "All-Laser LASIK". While we expect this lady to be 20/20 in both eyes when we see her next week, it reminds us that visual recovery can be slower due to age, astigmatism, or high amounts of nearsightedness, or farsightedness. No doubt the healing process is more complex when a patient's cornea is more complex. We feel that touch-ups, or enhancements, are also more common in these complex patients. Such observations teach us patience, and the importance of preparing certain patients for a slower visual recovery than they might expect. However, it is the end result that we are truly interested in, and when we achieve excellent vision, a few days here or there seems less important.

Mitchell H. Friedlaender, M.D.
Scripps Clinic Laser Vision Center
La Jolla, CA
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