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If you are reading this article as a pregnant woman who wears glasses or contact lenses, then you may have wondered if there are any issues surrounding laser eye surgery and pregnancy. This article aims to tackle this question but is also relevant for woman who are considering getting pregnant in the near future, have just had a baby or are still breast feeding. The short answer to whether you can have laser eye surgery whilst pregnant is no and the following highlights the main reasons for this:
Change in prescription: During pregnancy as you most likely know, there are considerable changes in your hormone levels, which can affect your eyes just as they affect the rest of your body. These hormone changes can alter the prescription in your glasses as they cause the body to retain more fluid. Just as the body retains more fluid the same is true of the lens within your eye, which is responsible for changing focus between distance and near objects. As the lens takes up more fluid the prescription in your glasses / contact lenses changes, generally making you more near sighted. This means that when your surgeon measures your prescription during a consultation it will not be accurate, as this change in prescription tends to revert back to what it was prior to pregnancy once your hormones have settled down. These hormones remain elevated for a number of month’s following pregnancy and will also o continue if you are breast feeding. The general advice is therefore to wait at least 6 months after giving birth of 6 months after finishing breast feeding before you consider having laser eye surgery.
Medication: During surgery your surgeon may prescribe middle sedatives which could in theory be absorbed across the placenta. As well as this, following laser eye surgery you will be prescribed antibiotic and steroid eye drops which again in theory could cross the placenta and affect the unborn foetus. Whilst the chances of this happening are extremely slim, there really is no point taking the risk. If you choose to breast feeding the same applies and in theory they could be passed to the baby through the breast milk that you produce.
Radiation from the laser: There is a theoretical risk of damage to the foetus from the radiation produced by the laser during the actual procedure. This risk is thought to be minimal but again there really is no need to take the chance.
Dry eyes: The elevated hormones during pregnancy and breast feeding also tend to cause woman’s eyes to become drier. This is not ideal for laser eye surgery as it will slow down the eyes natural healing process after surgery.
In summary, you should not consider laser eye surgery if you pregnant, considering getting pregnant or are still breast feeding. You should wait around 6 months after giving birth or ceasing breast feeding until you consider having the treatment. Although the risks of laser eye surgery to your unborn baby are extremely small there really is no point in taking any chances at all. Even putting the risks to the baby to one side, laser eye surgery is not likely to be accurate or long lasting owing to the hormones changing your prescription. Given the cost of laser eye surgery you want to give yourself the best chance of having your vision corrected for life.
This article was provided by a Tim Harwood a laser trained optometrist from the UK who is experienced in all aspects of Optometry.
