Does Pregnancy Affect My LASIK Candidacy?in Boston, MA

LASIK and other laser vision correction techniques have helped millions of Americans say goodbye to their glasses and contacts. While many people are candidates for LASIK, factors such as the thickness of the corneas, the presence of certain eye diseases, and overall health conditions can have an effect on whether the procedure is the best option for one’s needs. The Nielsen Eye Center’s new blog series will cover a variety of frequently asked questions about LASIK.

If you are considering LASIK surgery or any other vision correction treatment and you are currently pregnant, our eye doctors recommend that you wait until after delivery. If you are planning to breastfeed, it is also advisable that you wait to have the treatment for several months following the completion of the nursing process. Reasons for this include:

• A variety of prescription and over-the-counter medications that are often taken by LASIK patients may potentially increase risks to your child while pregnant. These can include an oral sedative to reduce anxiety during the procedure and antibiotic/steroid eye drops that are used during recovery.
• Hormonal changes that commonly occur during a pregnancy can affect the eye’s ability to heal after the LASIK procedure is performed. These changes can also affect your vision, which ultimately reduces the predictability of LASIK results.

Also, it is typically advisable for pregnant women and those who are planning to become pregnant to ensure their glasses prescription is up to date. Dry eye syndrome is common during pregnancy, making the wearing of contact lenses more of a risk to your eye health.

One of our experienced ophthalmologists will be happy to talk more with you about your candidacy for LASIK. You can also feel free to fill out our online LASIK Self-Evaluation form and schedule a free VIP LASIK Consultation to see if this procedure is right for you. If you have further questions, or if you would like to schedule an eye examination, please contact the Nielsen Eye Center today.