LASIK in Istanbul · Day 6 of 7
Day 6 after LASIK in Istanbul
Most clinics book a second check before you fly. Ask about swimming, make-up and screens.
Today's rules
Rubbing and touching your eyes
Do not rub your eyes. Rubbing can shift the flap. Wear the shield while you sleep.
Swimming, hot tubs and steam
No swimming and no hot tubs or whirlpools for 1 to 2 months (FDA). Clinics also say no steam room or sauna for at least a month.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Optegra Eye Hospitals
Eye make-up and creams
No lotions, creams or make-up around the eyes for up to two weeks, or until your doctor says otherwise.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Optegra Eye Hospitals
Exercise and sport
Exercise that does not risk your eyes, like an exercise bike, is usually fine from about day 3; jogging and aerobics from about a week. No contact sports.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Optegra Eye Hospitals
Sun, wind, dust and smoke
Wear sunglasses outdoors. Keep away from dust, wind and smoke, including nargile cafés, while the eye surface heals.
Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology · Optegra Eye Hospitals
Screens and reading
Short sessions only and blink often. Use the drops your surgeon gave you.
Source: Optegra Eye Hospitals
Flying home
Most clinics let you fly after your check-up. Cabin air is very dry, so carry your drops and use them on the plane.
Source: Optegra Eye Hospitals
Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.
4 things you can do today
Grand Bazaar
A covered maze of 4,000 shops. Shaded, but shoulder to shoulder at peak times. Go early on a weekday.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 2 hours
Hagia Sophia
The great dome is worth it, but queues stand in the sun and the inside is crowded. Women cover their hair and everyone removes shoes.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 1.5 hours
Guided food tour with ferry ride
Street food on both continents: kebab, pickles, baklava and more, with a lot of walking in between.
A few hours on foot with breaks, some open-air walking, about 4 hours
Basilica Cistern
The cool, dim underground cistern with the Medusa heads. Walkways get packed at midday; go at opening time.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 1 hour
Also fine today: Topkapı Palace · Bosphorus sightseeing cruise · Bosphorus dinner cruise with show · Galata Tower · Dolmabahçe Palace · Whirling dervish ceremony · Balat and Fener streets · Princes' Islands day trip · Istanbul Modern and the Karaköy waterfront · Public ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy · Eminönü street-snack walk · Turkish cooking class · Pierre Loti cable car and tea garden · Spice Bazaar · Pera Museum · Istanbul Archaeology Museums
2 things to skip today
Turkish hammam
Why not: It means steam, hot water or sauna heat.
Not during the 7 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Nargile café in Tophane
Why not: The air is full of smoke.
Not during the 7 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Where to eat today
- Turkish breakfast in Beşiktaş. A long, seated spread of cheeses, olives, eggs, honey and bread on the Çarşı breakfast street.
- Meze and fish at a meyhane. Beyoğlu taverns serve dozens of small plates. Rakı is traditional; you can skip it.
- Kebab and lahmacun. Adana kebab, lahmacun and pide in Fatih or Kadıköy. Spicy and chewy.
Put every day of this guide in your calendar, with your dates