“How long after eye laser surgery can I exercise?”

Within one week but avoiding eye contact in sports

You can resume most normal activities the day after LASIK. The vision will not be perfect the next day, but very functional. It's very important not to rub the eyes within the first 7-10 days after surgery.

Mild exercise is usually OK after 3-4 days but ask your surgeon for precise guidance. It is typically recommended not to swim or get the incision wet for 1 to 4 weeks. Please follow your surgeon's instructions exactly or contact their office for clarification.

In general, 5-7 days after Femtosecond LASIK you can exercise. For Microkeratome LASIK it is much longer. For sports such as Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing, I advise a minimum of 1 month. The corneal flap created with a femtosecond laser is much like a manhole cover or puzzle piece that fits securely, so it is very different than the bladed Microkeratome flaps created originally. This is why there is so much confusion and negative stories about LASIK flaps moving. It is very different today. After 34 years of performing LASIK I have seen the evolution in improved safety and accurac.

I would give it a few weeks at least