Can Women who are Pregnant or Nursing have LASIK?
LASIK surgery is a common procedure, which does not require the patient to be put under anesthesia or stay in a hospital. Although LASIK eye surgery is a popular outpatient procedure there are some restrictions and not everyone who desires LASIK surgery is a candidate for the procedure. Women who are pregnant or nursing are not candidates for LASIK eye surgery.
There are several reasons why pregnant women or nursing moms are not eligible for LASIK surgery. Beyond considering the health of the baby, having LASIK surgery while pregnant or nursing would not give women the desired results.
Pregnancy Changes Your Prescription & LASIK Outcome
In order to receive the best results from LASIK surgery a patient must have a stable prescription. A stable prescription allows the LASIK eye doctor to perform vision correction to the exact specifications of the patient. Women who are pregnant or nursing may experience a fluctuation in their vision and would most likely be left with an over-correction or an under-correction after LASIK eye surgery.
Hormone changes and corneal pressure due to fluid retention can also affect the vision of a woman who is pregnant or nursing. If they undergo LASIK eye surgery during this time, then the LASIK procedure will be performed based on the specification to the wrong prescription and when hormone changes return to normal these women will need to get their prescription adjusted again.
Women tend to experience the best results from LASIK eye surgery if they undergo the procedure at a time when they are not pregnant or nursing. Beyond relying on the stability of a prescription to receive accurate results from LASIK there are other health concerns that could lead to complications during LASIK for women who are pregnant or nursing.
Pregnant women often experience dry eyes. Some women even find it uncomfortable to wear their contacts during their pregnancy. Prior to surgery dry eyes can cause complications. Seeing as dry eyes can be caused by pregnancy it is better to wait and post pone LASIK eye surgery.
LASIK patients are typically given antibiotics and steroid drops prior to the LASIK procedure and during the recovery period following surgery. Women who are pregnant or nursing may unknowingly expose their baby to these drugs if they undergo the LASIK eye surgery procedure. Pregnant and nursing women can and should wait to have the procedure performed at a later time. All eye exams and LASIK related procedures should be done when women are neither pregnant nor nursing.
Waiting to have the LASIK eye surgery procedure will help in ensuring the health of the patient and their baby and will also help them to receive the best possible results from their LASIK eye surgery.
