When You Can Drive, Work, and Exercise After LASIK

Recovering from LASIK is often faster than most people expect. In fact, many patients are surprised by how quickly their vision improves and how soon they can resume daily activities. While LASIK is known for its rapid recovery, your eyes still need time to heal. Understanding when you can drive, return to work, and start exercising again helps you protect your results.

At Magruder Laser Vision in Orlando, your recovery timeline is guided by your individual healing progress. This article walks you through what you can expect after LASIK, from the first day of rest to resuming normal activities, so you know when (and how) to ease back into daily life.

The first 24 hours: rest and eye protection

The first day after LASIK is dedicated almost entirely to rest. Immediately after your procedure, your vision may be blurry or hazy, and your eyes can feel watery, irritated, or light-sensitive. These sensations are normal and typically improve quickly.

You should plan to go home and rest with your eyes closed for several hours. Sleeping or napping allows the corneal flap to settle and reduces irritation. You will not be able to drive on the day of surgery, so arranging transportation in advance is essential.

During this period, avoid screens, reading, rubbing your eyes, and any activity that could strain your vision. Protective eye shields should be worn while sleeping to prevent accidental rubbing. Your care team will provide detailed instructions and eye drops to support healing.

Days 1-2: driving and returning to light activities

Most patients experience a noticeable improvement in vision within 24 hours of LASIK. Once your surgeon confirms that your vision meets legal driving requirements, you may be cleared to drive, often as soon as the day after surgery.

You can resume light activities such as walking, running errands, and household tasks during this time. Many people can return to non-strenuous work within one to two days. If you work on a computer, it’s best to take frequent breaks and use lubricating eye drops to prevent dryness. Although your eyes may feel significantly better, you should still avoid strenuous exercise, swimming, and environments with dust or smoke during these first couple of days.

Days 3-7: easing back into work and screen time

By the third day after LASIK, your eyes have made meaningful progress in healing. Vision tends to stabilize further, though mild fluctuations may persist. You can gradually increase screen time, but frequent breaks remain important. To reduce eye strain, follow the 20-20-20 rule: look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

Most patients feel comfortable working full days by this point, as long as they stay mindful of dryness and blinking regularly, especially while working on a computer. Driving typically feels easier, though night driving may still cause temporary halos or glare. Light exercise, such as brisk walking or gentle stationary cycling, is often safe during this stage, but activities that increase eye pressure or risk impact should still be avoided.

Weeks 2-3: returning to exercise and physical routines

As you move into the second and third weeks after LASIK, your eyes become more resilient. Many patients can resume moderate exercise, including jogging, non-contact gym workouts, and light strength training.

Sweat should be kept out of the eyes, and protective eyewear should be worn when exercising. You can generally resume yoga and stretching, but inverted poses that place pressure on the head may need to wait a little longer. Swimming, hot tubs, and saunas should still be avoided until your surgeon confirms it is safe, as water exposure increases the risk of infection.

Weeks 4 and beyond: full activity resumption

About 1 month after LASIK, most patients can return to nearly all normal activities. This includes swimming, more intense workouts, and extended outdoor exercise. Contact sports may still require extra caution or protective eyewear, depending on your surgeon’s guidance.

By this stage, vision is typically stable, and dryness or light sensitivity has greatly improved. While you may feel fully recovered sooner, remember that subtle healing continues for several months. At Magruder Laser Vision, follow-up visits allow your surgeon to monitor your progress and confirm when it’s safe to resume higher-risk activities.

Long-term healing and ongoing care

Although LASIK recovery feels fast, complete visual stabilization can take three to six months. During this time, you may notice occasional dryness or mild fluctuations in clarity, especially in dry or air-conditioned environments.

Staying consistent with lubricating eye drops, wearing UV-protective sunglasses outdoors, and attending all scheduled follow-ups ensures the best long-term outcome. These visits help confirm that your eyes are healing properly and that your vision remains sharp.

LASIK offers one of the quickest recovery timelines in elective surgery, allowing many patients to drive, work, and exercise again within days rather than weeks. At Magruder Laser Vision, your recovery plan is personalized to your eyes, lifestyle, and visual goals. With expert care, clear guidance, and attentive follow-up, you can confidently return to daily life and experience the long-term freedom from glasses and contacts that LASIK promises. Contact us to schedule your consultation today.