Altitude pressurization in airplane cabins does not affect the eye after LASIK. Dryness in airplane cabins can be an issue, so it is best to keep the eyes well lubricated during airplane flights after LASIK. A patient from Santa Barbara and a patient from Oxnard each separately asked me the same question last week: “When can I fly after my LASIK eye surgery?” It turns out this is a very common question about healing after laser vision correction.
The answer is that you actually could fly the very next day after having LASIK. The eye is not affected any differently by altitude pressurization in an airplane cabin after laser eye surgery than it is before the surgery. There is, however, one issue with flying after surgery: your eyes will be more prone to drying out during the plane ride. It turns out that airplane cabins are pressurized with very low humidity.
After LASIK, there are nerves at the surface of the cornea that need to grow back, which takes about six months. These nerves tell the eye when the surface of the eye is getting dry and when it is time to blink and tear. Until these nerves grow back, the eye is more vulnerable to drying environments, such as the pressurized airplane cabin, as it will not “feel” this dryness as well and therefore not blink or tear as readily.
For this reason, it is not a good idea to “work” the eyes on the airplane flight through such activities as working on a computer or reading a novel — both of which involve staring and not blinking as much. The best thing after LASIK is to put a lubricant ointment in the eye (such as Refresh PM) once you get on the plane and simply close your eyes and listen to music or take a nap. If you do this, your eyes will feel refreshed when you finally get to your destination.
See Also
Laser Vision Correction Surgery
Cleveland Clinic discussion of LASIK, including the issue of airplane flight after LASIK
LASIK Eye Surgery for Air Force Aviator Applicants
U.S. Air Force discussion of LASIK and airplane flight.
Flying Following LASIK
Flyer Talk message board discussion of actual airplane travelers discussing their experiences flying after LASIK.
Facts About Dry Eye
National Institutes of Health (NIH) discussion of dry eye, including the effect of the airplane cabin environment
Managing Pre- and Post- Operative Dry Eye
Medical journal discussion of how to best manage dry eye before and after laser vision correction eye surgery.
What Should I Expect Before, During, and After LASIK Eye Surgery
FDA webpage which reviews what healing is like after LASIK.