When can I swim after LASIK?

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

Short answer

The Academy says a minimum of 2 weeks with no water exposure. The FDA is more conservative and says avoid swimming, hot tubs, and whirlpools for 1 to 2 months.

The two main sources give different numbers, and both are worth knowing. The Academy says no swimming and exposing your eye to water for a minimum of 2 weeks until your eye heals. The FDA says you should avoid swimming and using hot tubs or whirlpools for 1 to 2 months. An Academy ophthalmologist answering a patient question also said no swimming for at least two weeks after the surgery.

The concern is infection. Pool water, lake water, and hot tub water carry organisms, and the flap interface is a space that has not fully sealed. StatPearls reports infectious keratitis in less than 0.1 percent of LASIK patients, and notes atypical mycobacteria as one of the common causes, typically presenting one to two weeks after surgery. Rare, but serious, and avoidable.

Hot tubs and whirlpools are treated separately from pools and generally get the longer wait, because warm standing water grows more organisms. Ocean and lake water are the least controlled of all. Ask your surgeon for your specific date, and when you do get back in, goggles are a reasonable habit.

When	Typical guidance
First 2 weeks	No swimming and no exposing the eye to water, per the Academy.
2 weeks to 1 month	Some surgeons clear pool swimming with goggles. Confirm with yours first.
1 to 2 months	The FDA says avoid swimming, hot tubs, and whirlpools through this window.
Hot tubs and whirlpools	Generally the longest wait of any water activity.

Call your surgeon now if you notice any of these

Severe eye pain, or pain that gets worse instead of better, at any point after surgery
Vision or any other symptom that is getting worse instead of better, rather than improving over the first days
Sudden decrease or sudden loss of vision in either eye
Any new or unusual symptom at any point after surgery, which the FDA says could signal a problem that may lead to loss of vision if not treated early enough
Signs the corneal flap may have moved, such as a sudden sharp foreign body or scratching sensation, sudden blurring, tearing, and light sensitivity, especially after rubbing, bumping, or being hit in the eye. The FDA warns that rubbing the eye could dislodge the flap, and StatPearls lists flap dislodgement among corneal flap complications reported in about 0.1 to 4 percent of patients
Signs of diffuse lamellar keratitis, a sterile inflammation in the layer under the flap, which StatPearls says usually appears one to two days after surgery in as many as 1 in 50 cases and shows up as blurriness and a foreign body sensation. It typically resolves with appropriate steroid treatment after about a week, but it needs the surgeon to see it and change your drops
Signs of infection, such as increasing redness, discharge, worsening light sensitivity, and dropping vision. StatPearls reports infectious keratitis in less than 0.1 percent of patients, with atypical mycobacteria typically appearing one to two weeks after surgery
Any eye injury or blunt trauma to the operated eye, at any time after LASIK, because the flap interface never regains full corneal strength
New floaters, flashes of light, or a curtain or shadow across part of your vision. StatPearls lists retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, and posterior vitreous detachment among rare complications occurring in less than 0.1 percent of patients

These warning signs after LASIK can point to problems that need same-day care. Do not wait for your next scheduled visit. If you cannot reach your surgeon's office, use their on-call line, or go to an emergency room.

Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration; StatPearls Publishing, NCBI Bookshelf; Journal of Refractive Surgery

Sources

When to Resume Exercise After an Eye Surgery or Injury American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.
What should I expect before, during, and after surgery? U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Will my flying and diving affect LASIK surgery healing? American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) StatPearls Publishing, NCBI Bookshelf. Accessed 2026-08-25.

When can I swim after LASIK?

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