Why You Should Have Laser Eye Surgery Before You Get Pregnant

If you are planning on starting a family, you might want to address any health concerns first, such as seeing your dentist and your primary care physician. If you are thinking about having laser eye surgery done so that you can correct your vision, you should also have this done before getting pregnant. These are a few reasons why it's not a good idea to have laser eye surgery done while you are expecting.

Dry Eyes

Having dry eyes can be uncomfortable enough as it is, and dry eyes can have a negative impact if you are planning on having laser eye surgery. Unfortunately, this is a common symptom during pregnancy due to changes in your hormone levels. If you don't suffer from dry eyes now, it's probably a good idea to look into surgery. If you do suffer from dry eyes every now and then, you might find that the condition is easier to treat so that you'll be ready for surgery if you do it now rather than if you wait until you are pregnant.

Unstable Prescription

If your vision has been around the same prescription for the past few years, then you are probably a good candidate for laser eye surgery right now. However, doctors recommend that individuals who have fluctuation prescriptions should avoid laser eye surgery because there is less of a chance of success. Even individuals who don't typically have vision problems can often suffer from a fluctuating prescription during pregnancy, such as suffering from blurry vision some days and regular vision on others. If you already have vision issues, you could be even more at risk. This is why it is best to have your surgery done while your prescription is still stable.

Corneal Issues

You've probably heard of pregnant women feeling "swollen" -- such as in their feet and hands -- due to fluid retention. What you might not realize is that fluid retention can happen in your eyes as well during pregnancy. This can affect your corneas, which can make it difficult for your doctor to perform laser eye surgery safely.

Overall, it is not a good idea to have laser eye surgery done when you are pregnant. Therefore, if you are in the middle of family planning and would like to have vision correction surgery done, now is a good time to do it. Then, you can enjoy better vision when you have your little one, and you won't have to worry about the annoyance of glasses or contacts during or after your pregnancy. Contact a local optician, like New Vision Eye Center, for more information.

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