LASIK Before Pregnancy

If you are thinking about starting a family and thinking about correcting your vision at the same time, there are a few things you should consider. Having surgery before pregnancy makes you worry about one less thing each day like contact lenses and glasses. It can be a relief when meeting the high demands of a newborn. So, what factors you should take into consideration before getting LASIK surgery and becoming pregnant?

How does LASIK Surgery work?

LASIK surgery changes the shape of your cornea. If you have myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, it means that your cornea is irregularly shaped, which causes light to focus improperly onto the retina. This can cause blurry vision.

During LASIK surgery, a surgeon creates a thin, circular flap on the surface of the cornea. This flap is then pulled back to expose the inner layers of your cornea which will be reshaped with a laser. When your cornea is properly reshaped, the flap is put back into place and the surgery is over.

How LASIK Can Interfere?

LASIK surgery is considered to be perfectly safe for women who are trying to become pregnant. However, it is recommended to wait for 2 to 6 months after your LASIK surgery to become pregnant, if possible. There are many reasons for this.

• The first reason is that pregnancy hormones can severely affect eyesight in around 10% of LASIK patients. A common pregnancy symptom is swelling, which happens in the legs, face, and feet. But there are chances of corneas swelling too. As your body starts to retain fluid, your corneas can change shape no matter if you had LASIK surgery. This can cause vision regression and may require additional surgery after pregnancy.

• Because of increased hormone production during pregnancy, common LASIK side effects such as dry eye and halos/glare around lights may exaggerate. The drugs used during LASIK such as mild oral sedatives and eye drops may not be healthy for a developing baby.

That is why it is recommended to add a time buffer of 2 to 6 months between LASIK surgery and pregnancy.

Why Get LASIK Before Pregnancy and Not After?

Both options are safe and effective. However, experts believe LASIK before pregnancy is the better option because of the convenience factor.

Many women cannot wear contact lenses during pregnancy because of pregnancy-induced dry eye syndrome. After pregnancy, you will look to simplify many aspects of your life as you can. You will not have time to do proper contact lens hygiene when you have a newborn. LASIK surgery before pregnancy can eliminate these issues