Earlier models of femtosecond lasers used in the creation of the LASIK flap grip the whites of the eye surrounding the cornea. This often leads to bruising in the same area which in the case of the eye appears bright red. Fortunately, these red patches do resolve in about 2 weeks without any serious long term complications.
Newer generations of femtosecond lasers now apply suction to the cornea itself which does not have any blood vessels and as a result, the incidence of subconjunctival hemorrhage is much lower. There really isn’t much that the patient can do to prevent the risk of sub-conjunctival hemorrhage as it pretty much depends on the type of femtosecond laser used.
The main strategy to aid in a swift recovery is to follow the post-operative instructions given by your eye surgeon on the usage of post-operative eyedrops and measures to avoid infection. Otherwise, the visual recovery in the case of LASIK or ReLEx SMILE is often quite rapid.
