Skydiving After LASIK: What You Need to Know

LASIK is an amazing technology that has helped so many people, well, literally see again! And if you’ve been lucky enough to get a high tech vision refresh, you definitely want to make sure you’re doing everything right for your eyes while transitioning back to living your life. Since you’ve found your way to this page, you’re probably wondering: Can I go skydiving after LASIK?

We’re happy to report that skydiving after LASIK is possible, but there are a few things to be mindful of. Let’s explore skydiving, LASIK, and taking your new eyes on the ultimate adventure!

What is LASIK?

LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. Phew – that’s a mouthful! According to FDA.gov:

LASIK is a “procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A mechanical microkeratome (a blade device) or a laser keratome (a laser device) is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middle section of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.”

Basically, LASIK is an outpatient procedure where a blade or laser is used to cut into the eye so that vision issues can be corrected. 

Thankfully, it doesn’t take too long to recover from the surgery. In fact, in as little as three days, you may be cleared to return to light exercise, or light recreational activities such as bicycling, boating or golfing. In one week, some may return to swimming. 

However, for the eye to have enough time to heal, doctors usually recommend about one month before taking on more rigorous activities such as water skiing, scuba diving, basketball, hockey, motorcycling, snowboarding, dirt biking, and yes – skydiving.

Skydiving and LASIK

Skydiving is an extreme activity. And that means extra precautions have to be taken when planning to jump after a procedure like LASIK. 

All skydivers, new and experienced, protect their eyes on every jump because the 120 mph wind makes it nearly impossible to see without some sort of barrier. You will wear a pair of goggles when you make a tandem skydive to protect your eyes during freefall. However, the goggles are made with ventilation holes so that the goggles don’t fog up during the skydive, and ventilation airflow could compromise the LASIK procedure.

There’s also the very small chance that your goggles could come dislodged during the jump, fully exposing your eyes to the wind. While this is uncommon, sometimes the wind wins against our best efforts. It’s good to have a plan in place should you find your eye protection has abandoned you!

Beyond wind, every skydive contains drastic pressure changes on the way up and down. Miles of altitude are no joke! LASIK can already cause temporary swelling/pressure changes in the eye, so it’s important to give yourself enough time to heal before subjecting your eyes to even more pressure fluctuations. 

Make sure to let your instructor know before you jump if you’ve recently had a LASIK procedure, and give us a call ahead of time if you have any questions! 

Pro Tip: Experienced jumpers have the luxury of wearing a full face helmet, which completely prevents air flow around the eyes during freefall. If given the choice between a full face or open faced helmet, it’s highly recommended for experienced jumpers who have had LASIK to opt for the full face protection.

Recommendations

First and foremost, talk to your eye surgeon before booking your skydive. They are highly specialized in post-LASIK eye care and should be regarded as the ultimate authority on how to approach resuming extreme activities. Here are a couple small recommendations we can make if you’re thinking about coming along on a jump:

• One month after LASIK: We recommend getting permission from your doctor to skydive from one to six months after the LASIK procedure. They may have a personalized recovery timeline for you that you can plan around. 

• Six months after LASIK: After six months, the eye has had more time to heal and you are likely able to do a tandem skydive, though it’s still a good idea to check with your doctor if you’ve had complications or are unsure. 

Remember, these are general recommendations and should not be taken to supersede advice from your doctor. Skydiving after LASIK is ultimately your decision, and understanding the risk factors is imperative to enjoying your jump. 

Skydiving with Glasses or Contacts

While LASIK is a marvel of modern medicine, it’s not your only option for clear-vision skydiving! If you currently wear glasses or contacts, you are absolutely welcome to skydive! We can accommodate glasses and contacts with specialized goggles and a little bit of pre-planning. 

If you’re ready to see what skydiving is all about (pun intended), book your skydive and use that brand new vision to view the world from above! Blue skies!