
Joel Hunter, MD Refractive Surgeon, Hunter Vision Updated 10/31/18 10:41 AM
It says a lot about people that one of the most frequently asked questions I get during LASIK consultations is about how long they will need to take off work to get LASIK. It seems like a waving American flag should appear behind them and it makes me proud.
There are 20 questions about how early they can get back to their job for every 1 request for a "get out of work" note. As my brother Josh would say: 'Murica. Well put, brother. 'Murica, indeed.
The answer is easy. Almost 100% of the time, people can have the LASIK procedure on an afternoon and be back to work the next morning after a quick one-day post-op check to make sure the eyes look good. There are a few times a year where someone will poke their eye (usually an accident and not Munchausen syndrome) and I have to do an easy fix that morning. I've never had a patient that didn't do great after that, but it pushes the timeline back a day.
So if someone is getting married at 9:00 AM the next day, maybe get LASIK the week before or after, so you don't tempt fate to make you the one in a million that accidentally pokes yourself in the eye with a chopstick. Otherwise, people that have LASIK on Friday can plan for a normal weekend.