When Not To Get LASIK

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Posted by: Missouri Eye Institute in Blog on March 10, 2020

Are you thinking about getting LASIK? Are you trying to find the “right” time to schedule it if you qualify for the procedure? Figuring out when to get LASIK is important.

There are good and bad times to get it. Keep reading to find out when you shouldn’t get LASIK to make planning for the procedure easier!

If You’re Pregnant or Planning To Become Pregnant

Patients that are pregnant or are planning on becoming pregnant should not get LASIK. During pregnancy, your hormone levels change frequently.

This impacts many things including your vision. The problem also lies with the fact that it takes some time before your vision goes back to normal.

For this reason, you should not get LASIK for at least three months after you’ve had a baby or have finished nursing. Chemicals in the eye drops that prevent inflammation and infection after LASIK can be passed to your infant through breastmilk.

Another reason that you can’t have LASIK while pregnant is that you need your eyes dilated during your LASIK consultation. Your body will absorb the medications used to dilate your eyes. This can affect your unborn child and get passed onto them through your bloodstream.

During The Middle of Allergy Season

Getting LASIK in the middle of allergy season is not a good idea. If you have allergies, it makes it harder to recover from LASIK because of eye irritation.

It’s normal to experience some irritation or discomfort while recovering from LASIK. If you are also suffering from allergy symptoms, it’ll make your LASIK recovery less ideal.

Allergy symptoms to avoid include dry eye, redness, itching, burning, and tearing. The best thing you can do is to time your LASIK procedure and get it either before or after allergy season.

No matter when you get LASIK, it’s important to know that you cannot rub your eyes. This can lead to serious complications or vision problems after the procedure.

It’s much harder to avoid rubbing your eyes if they are itchier than normal because of your allergies!

If You Have Dry Eye That’s Not Under Control

If you have dry eye that’s not under control before you have LASIK, a procedure like LASIK will only make it worse. To get LASIK and be comfortable, you need to have your dry eye symptoms already managed and under control.

One of the most common side effects patients experience after LASIK is dry eye, at least temporarily. To have the best LASIK experience possible, you need to treat your dry eye before having LASIK.

If you have severe dry eye that isn’t being treated when you get LASIK, it leads to a higher chance of infection or complications.

If You Have Cataracts or Glaucoma

To have the best experience with LASIK, you need to have healthy eyes. If you have cataracts or glaucoma, you should not get LASIK.

During LASIK, your eye pressure can increase. If you have glaucoma, having your eye pressure increase can make the condition worse.

For patients with cataracts, LASIK is not recommended. LASIK cannot fix vision loss caused by cataracts. Also, cataracts get worse over time, so patients usually need cataract surgery.

These reasons make LASIK a bad procedure for patients with cataracts.

Before Going on a Big Trip

If you have a big vacation or trip coming up, don’t get LASIK right before it. If you need to take a long plane ride, it can make dry eye symptoms worse.

It can also increase your chances of getting an infection. LASIK can temporarily cause dry eye, and going on a plane can make dry eye symptoms even worse.

If it’s at all possible, you shouldn’t travel on a plane for at least a month after you get LASIK. For the best results, plan to travel once your eyes have fully healed and your vision has stabilized.

Are you ready to talk with a doctor about LASIK?