Life After LASIK: What to Expect in the First Year

Woman enjoying benefits of LASIK in Beverly Hills, CA

If you’ve chosen Fortified LASIK with Dr. Brian, you’ve taken a major step toward clearer, sharper vision with minimal downtime. At Boxer Wachler Vision Institute, you receive advanced care that blends experience with precision, helping you feel confident and supported every step of the way. Here’s what your first year after LASIK may look like and how to best navigate it.

Immediately After Surgery

In the hours following your LASIK procedure, your eyes may feel slightly gritty or watery, and your vision could be hazy. Rest is critical during this time—plan to go home and keep your eyes closed as much as possible for the first few hours. Avoid rubbing your eyes, and use prescribed eye drops to manage dryness and reduce the risk of infection.

Most people return to their usual routines within a day or two, though you’ll want to avoid strenuous activity and direct sunlight for at least the first week. Protective eyewear may also be recommended during sleep to prevent accidental contact.

First Few Weeks: Healing and Adjustment

By the end of your first week, your vision should be noticeably clearer, though you may still experience mild glare or halos, especially at night. These effects typically diminish over time. Your eyes will continue to adjust, and it’s normal to experience fluctuations in clarity for several weeks.

Keep up with your follow-up appointments so your surgeon can monitor progress and address any concerns promptly.

Vision Stabilizes

Most patients have vision stabilize over a few weeks, but people may take longer. If your work involves screens or driving at night, be attentive to how your vision responds and report any significant changes to your doctor.

Protect your eyes with sunglasses outdoors to minimize UV exposure.

Long-Term Benefits

As the year progresses, the initial side effects typically fade. Night vision disturbances, if present, usually resolve. Your eyes will continue to strengthen, and any lingering dryness should lessen. Regular check-ins with your eye care provider remain important to ensure lasting results and eye health.

For some, minor touch-ups may be considered if optimal clarity isn’t fully achieved. Most people, however, enjoy stable, unaided vision with no need for glasses or contacts.

Ready for Clearer Vision? Contact Boxer Wachler Vision Institute

Choosing the right LASIK provider makes a difference in both your experience and your results. At Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills, California, Dr. Brian offers expert care and advanced techniques tailored to your unique vision needs. To learn more about your LASIK recovery or schedule a consultation, call 310-860-1900.

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A BRIEF NOTE ABOUT DR. BRIAN

Throughout his highly respected career, cornea specialist Dr. Brian has never wavered with his integrity and dedication to always do the best for each and every patient - even in the face of adversity and peer pressure. Case in point: when he developed a procedure to treat a cornea condition known as Keratoconus. While other eye surgeons were entrenched in performing invasive and painful cornea transplants, Dr. Brian invented a new non-invasive procedure that prevented needing cornea transplants. He was shocked by the medical establishment being unwelcoming to his innovation because, as he later found out, his new procedure was preventing other eye surgeons from performing their lucrative cornea transplants. Dr. Brian persisted, went against the grain and didn’t give up because he believed in himself and in his procedure as it was in the best interest of patients. Eventually, he crossed paths with U.S. Olympic bobsled driver Steven Holcomb who had Keratoconus and became so depressed over it that he tried to commit suicide. Luckily, he survived. The United States Olympic team and his coaches found Dr. Brian and sent Steven to see him. Dr. Brian restored his vision to 20/20 which enabled Steven later win a historic Olympic gold medal for United States in bobsled - the first in 62 years! As a result, Dr. Brian was later invited to give a prestigious TEDx talk about his integrity and dedication to patients. You can watch his moving and inspiring TEDx talk here.

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