Many people describe LASIK eye surgery as a life changing procedure. For people who have lived all or even most of their lives dependent on glasses or contact lenses for better vision, opening their eyes first thing in the morning and seeing clearly is truly incredible. In past blog posts, we’ve talked about the possible side effects of LASIK, risks of LASIK, LASIK for teenagers, and many other topics regarding LASIK eye surgery.
In today’s blog post, we’re going to talk about LASIK eye surgery and pregnancy—is it safe, what are the risks, and should women wait until after pregnancy to have LASIK?
LASIK and Pregnancy
If you’re currently pregnant, first off, congratulations! This is an exciting time in your life, and we know that there are so many things to consider and prepare as you get ready to bring a child into the world. Pregnancy brings about a lot of changes in women’s bodies. One of the less-talked about changes is vision.
Though generally temporary, there are a handful of changes that pregnancy can cause. The change and fluctuation of hormones can decrease tear production, resulting in dry or itchy eyes. Pregnancy can make your eyes more sensitive to light. Your vision might become blurry during your pregnancy; you might notice your glasses or contact lenses aren’t as effective as they typically are. And finally, built-up fluid behind or in your eye could temporarily change the shape of your cornea.
Because of these changes in vision that pregnancy can cause, specifically the latter two, we recommend that women wait at least a few months after their child is born to have LASIK eye surgery. LASIK eye surgery corrects vision by reshaping the cornea. Because pregnancy can change the shape of your cornea, waiting until after pregnancy for laser eye surgery ensures that you receive the most accurate corrections for long-lasting perfect vision. Alternatively, if you are not currently pregnant, you can always plan to have LASIK eye surgery before pregnancy.
The main risk of having LASIK during pregnancy is that you will not experience fully corrected vision post-pregnancy. Furthermore, the medications you are prescribed before and after surgery can enter your bloodstream. If you are pregnant or think you may become pregnant, we advise postponing laser eye surgery.
Book a LASIK Consultation With Broberg Eye Care
At Broberg Eye Care, we use the most advanced technologies and techniques to produce the best possible results for our patients. For further information about LASIK eye surgery during pregnancy, please call our office today at (512) 447-6096 or fill out an online form.
