Can I see well immediately after laser eye surgery?

With laser eye surgery, your eyes start to recover as soon as you stand up after the treatment. In the first phase after the treatment, an inflammatory process may develop. This is normal. Your immune system responds to the treatment and sends platelets and white blood cells to the treated site. This can cause swelling. Because of this reaction, your vision may be temporarily blurred after the treatment. This happens despite the fact that you can actually see better than before the treatment because your eye has acquired its new shape.

The swelling usually subsides within 24 hours, but it can take a little longer. You will notice that your vision quickly improves during this process. In the period after the treatment you will be able to quickly resume your daily life. It is important to realize that during the first recovery phase you will suffer more from glare around lighting and that your vision may vary. Also keep this in mind when driving, especially if you are driving in the dark. Lighting from lampposts and oncoming traffic can temporarily impair your vision.