Anyone may decide to go for eye surgery lasik at any point in life, and it may be during pregnancy. In such a case, many women assume it is time to consider the procedure. Perhaps, you are also at that juncture where you are not sure whether to undertake the LASIK surgery or not during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
There are pretty several activities that are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers to take. For example, they should avoid soaking up in a hot tub or changing a cat’s litter box. However, eye surgery lasik involving laser technology is one of the best and most effective remediation procedures for eye defects. But, the most suitable period for eye surgery lasik is before the pregnancy or after giving birth to the child.
On the other hand, breastfeeding women are also not advised to undergo LASIK surgery. So, the question on everyone’s lips is when is the best time for postpartum mothers to correct their vision using eye surgery lasik?
Should pregnant women take LASIK eye surgery?
It should be clear that the straight answer to this question is a no. It is not recommended that a pregnant woman undergoes LASIK eye surgery. The reason is simple: their condition could lead to some changes in the cornea that may not be correctable in the future. The pregnancy period is when the woman’s body is undergoing many physiological and hormonal changes. Part of the symptoms of these changes may also involve the woman’s vision.
These changes may be evident in using contact lenses or eyeglasses during pregnancy. Common eye defects that are correctable by LASIK eye surgery are problems related to how the eyes refract light. LASIK surgery involves using laser technology to reshape the cornea and correct how it refracts light. Before the procedure begins, medical science uses pre-operative tests and a high level of diagnostic technology to determine the thickness and shape of the patient’s eyes.
This way, the team can better create a specific and highly accurate pattern that gives a particular shape to the cornea. It also helps to correctly factor in the refractive errors the eyes may be experiencing.
Effects of Hormonal changes during pregnancy
The period of pregnancy being a temporary state, some hormonal changes may cause the cornea’s shape to change and attract a different prescription. In some other women, the curvature of the cornea increases due to these hormones. If the changes are temporary, the body can quickly return to what it used to be before the pregnancy once the woman delivers the child.
However, the changes can be permanent in some women, whom they will have to find corrective measures after delivery. The major problem here, which is why we need LASIK, is that the shape of the cornea can change. Therefore, the surgery cannot occur as long as we are not sure whether the eye defect is permanent or temporary. Suppose LASIK eye surgery is performed while the patient’s prescription can still change. In that case, it could be a waste of money and ineffectiveness.
The implication also is that there will be some additional surgical operations to correct these problems due to a new refractive index. As a result, the best recommendation is to wait until the woman delivers the baby before undertaking the LASIK eye surgery.
What is the safest time to get pregnant after undergoing LASIK Eye Surgery?
Now that we have established the period of pregnancy not being the best time for LASIK surgery, what about the post-natal condition? When is the best time for a woman to get pregnant after undergoing LASIK eye surgery? As much as LASIK is not recommended during pregnancy, then the best time to have the surgery is before or after carrying out the pregnancy. It is also essential to consider the safest time to get the surgery to fix the eyes completely.
After a safe delivery, you can freely do some examination to validate your need for LASIK eye surgery. However, the recommended wait period is at least one month after the LASIK, giving you enough time to recover fully. On the other hand, pregnant women may also feel some dryness as a side effect of the pregnancy after having LASIK eye surgery.
What about the postpartum or breastfeeding period? Is LASIK still safe?
After delivering the child, you may not be sure if you should try out the LASIK eye surgery or not. One of the doubts comes when you consider the fact that you are breastfeeding the newly born. So, it brings about thee= next question, is it safe to undergo LASIK surgery while breastfeeding? While it is clear that we must allow the pregnancy period to be over before LASIK, it is not so clear when it comes to the lactation period.
The condition may be attributed to the level of research that has gone into studying these conditions. However, it does not remove the fact that LASIK eye surgery remains one of the safest and most effective ways to correct eye defects permanently. And to be safer, you may want to wait until you have weaned your child before considering taking the LASIK eye surgery.
Another reason we choose this option is that hormonal changes often accompany lactation. These changes affect the cornea’s shape and structure the same way they affect pregnant women. Meanwhile, there are three conditions under which the LASIK surgery can still be performed on postpartum women, such as
- The cessation of the lactation
- A return to the refraction that occurs before pregnancy
- Return to a regular menstruation
Conclusion
When looking for the best time to avoid pregnancy and lactation, leave a lengthy period. The best way to get things done is to wait at least one year before undertaking LASIK eye surgery. And if you choose the other way round, you may decide to take on the LASIK eye surgery first before you get pregnant. You can book a consultation time with us if you need medical advice.
Other resources:
Sources of Information on the History of Clothes
How Soon Can You return to Makeup after LASIK Eye Surgery?
