Can I have Laser Eye Surgery if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

While Laser Eye Surgery is a minimally invasive and external procedure on the surface of the eye only, there are certain restrictions when it comes to eligibility. If you are pregnant or nursing, it is unsafe to have Laser Eye Surgery due to various factors that could affect the outcome.

A stable prescription is needed for Laser Eye Surgery

One of the pre-conditions that is required when being assessed for Laser Eye Surgery is that you have a stable prescription – i.e. that your vision hasn’t changed by more than 0.5D in the past year.

A stable prescription is vital when it comes to correcting your particular refractive error, be it myopia, hyperopia of astigmatism.

Myopia or shortsightedness is when objects in the distance appear blurry but you have no problem with near vision.

Hyperopia or long-sightedness on the other hand causes near vision to appear out of focus, but you have no problem seeing objects far away.

Astigmatism affects overall vision and is related to the shape of your cornea. If you suffer from the condition, you have an irregular shaped cornea – rather that it being round like a football, its oval like a rugby ball.

Vision changes during pregnancy

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can experience some fluctuation in their vision which means if they were to undergo Laser Eye Surgery, there is the risk of over correction or under correction.

Slight changes in vision are usually attributed to changes in hormone levels or increased intra-ocular pressure caused by fluid retention.

Safer to wait

Laser Eye Surgery is a completely elective procedure, which means there is no immediate need for a person to have it at one particular time.

Once your hormones have settled post partum, you can once again consider getting Laser Eye Surgery. It is recommended that women wait 3-6 months after giving birth or finishing breastfeeding.

If you have any other questions about getting Laser Eye Surgery after pregnancy, call to book your free consultation on +353 1 223 8821.