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Can I Go in Water After LASIK?
Sep 17, 2018 • All articles

Can I Go in Water After LASIK?

Tips for Swimming After LASIK and PRK

When undergoing any surgery, there are naturally many questions that come with it.   

When it comes to a surgery dealing with something as important as your sight, there may be more questions than usual. Your vision is so important, and after you have surgery to improve it, you don’t want to do anything that can harm it. We get many questions, and we are always happy to answer them, so here’s our question for today:

Can I go in water after LASIK?

The answer depends on what type of water you’re referencing: Are you wondering when you can take a shower at home again, for example, or if you can dive into the local pool? There are different amounts of time you should wait before going into different bodies or types of water.  

Let’s start with showers. You can take a shower after LASIK. You will want to make sure that you keep your eyes completely closed to prevent soap, shampoo, and water from getting in your eyes. You’ll also want to make sure that you don’t rub your eyes when you are washing your face.  

As for pools, lakes, oceans, and hot tubs, you’ll want to wait longer to enjoy these types of water. We generally recommend waiting a week before diving in after LASIK surgery. So, keep this in mind for when you are scheduling your procedure. If you’re an avid lap swimmer, you may not want to schedule your surgery for the summer. Take vacations into consideration when scheduling your procedure also. If you’re planning to visit a lake or the ocean, you might want to schedule the surgery for several weeks after or before your trip. As for hot tubs, you can enjoy them three to five days after the surgery.

Can I go in water after PRK surgery?

The amount of time you should wait differs if your surgeon recommended PRK surgery. Recovery time for PRK is usually longer than recovery from LASIK. This is because it takes longer for the outer layer of the cornea to heal and patients will take prescription antibiotic drops for several months to promote healing. If you’ve undergone PRK surgery, follow the same rules in regard to showering. However, wait times differ for getting back in the pool, lake, ocean, or hot tub.

  • Plan on waiting at least two weeks after surgery to use a hot tub.
  • Wait at least three weeks before swimming in any bodies of water, whether it is the pool, ocean, or lake.

Once again, you’ll want to take into account your levels of water-based activity and vacations when scheduling a PRK surgery.  

Follow these guidelines and get in contact with your doctor if you have any questions. If you’re ready to start the laser eye surgery process, get in touch today!      
Start The LASIK Process

— Medically reviewed by Dr. Greg Eippert