LASIK and Eye Sensitivity
Chicago, Illinois
Immediately following your LASIK surgery it is normal for most patients to experience a decline in the quality of their vision. During the healing process your vision will slowly adjust to your final result. During this healing process it is also normal for the eyes to become sensitive in a couple of different ways. It is important to speak with your doctor about what you can expect after your surgery so that if you experience anything abnormal you can contact us immediately.
Types of Eye Sensitivity After LASIK
- Light sensitivity: It is very normal to experience a sensitivity to light for a few weeks after your LASIK surgery. If you are prone to migraine headaches, this may make you more susceptible to experiencing them, so please make sure that you have visual protection available any time you go out in sunlight or are under bright lights indoors.
- Contrast sensitivity: You may also experience an inability to differentiate between objects that are close together and the same shade. For instance, it may be hard for you to distinguish between a person wearing black on a black background, or white on a white background.
- Physical sensitivity: In some cases, patients can experience some physical sensitivity around the eyes. This sensation usually goes away quickly and can be handled easily by regular pain medication.
LASIK and Contrast Sensitivity
Traditional testing for vision uses a test that measures what is called “Snellen Acuity,” which determines how small of an object or letter you can clearly make out. This test is to see if you have “20/20” vision. This test, however, only measures the quantity of what you can see rather than the quality of the vision. Contrast sensitivity is a better measurement for vision quality because it allows you to see more depth and subtle visual changes in your environment. Most of the world we perceive is set in a low- to medium-contrast environment, so it is very important for us to use contrast sensitivity to measure the quality of vision.
LASIK surgery patients may experience a small decline in contrast sensitivity immediately following their operations. However, after the healing process is complete and patients see their final results, they are particularly pleased with the higher level of contrast sensitivity they experience, as well as being pleased with their higher “Snellen Acuity.”
If you live in Chicago or Arlington Heights, Illinois and have any other questions about eye sensitivity after LASIK surgery, please contact the office of the Doctors for Visual Freedom and schedule an appointment for a consultation.
Two Locations:
Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
875 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1550
Chicago, IL 60611 | Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
2010 S Arlington Heights Rd, Suite 121
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 |
