When a woman becomes pregnant, a cascade of biological events happens physically and chemically within the body to ready for the development of a baby. Changes in vision occur during pregnancy some of which are temporary while other changes remain permanent. Gynecologists and ophthalmologists monitor pregnant patients more closely.
Possible changes to the eyes
The balance of hormones changes in a woman’s body to prepare it for the growing fetus. Hormones define as regulatory substances produced to stimulate a cell or a series of tissues into action. Hormones make physical changes to the body, influence behavior, and impact moods. Fluctuating hormones can alter eyesight to the point different eyeglasses or contact lenses become needed. Some female patients may no longer be able to wear contact lenses during the pregnancy. Until the pregnancy finishes, a woman will not know if they need a new prescription. Other women experience a bout of dry eyes during pregnancy which eye drops can temporarily relieve. The tissue around the eyes sometimes puffs up making side vision nearly impossible. Changes in hormones can induce migraine headaches which cause blurred vision.
LASIK
No specific contraindications exist to ban LASIK during a pregnancy. The surgery will not harm a developing fetus. However, the changes in vision caused by the new balance of hormones may give a false indication of the measurement of eyesight which will disappear once the pregnancy ends. Many women after pregnancy have new norms. The idea of LASIK getting rid of glasses and contact lenses, so her full attention can go on the baby becomes desirable. Houston LASIK would highly recommend waiting until after the birth of the baby to have LASIK done or the second option of having the surgery done before pregnancy. If a woman breastfeeds, inform the doctor in Houston because some medications prescribed for after surgery care may show up in breast milk as in antibiotics and pain relievers. Many times in the early weeks a woman does not know she has become pregnant. No harm is done to the fetus whatsoever but understand that some adjustments may have to occur on the LASIK surgery if the hormones change things permanently.
Are prior LASIK surgeries affected by pregnancy?
A small study done by Dr. Kontari of Greece and then presented at New York University Medical School showed no post-LASIK refraction appeared altered after pregnancy. Kontari’s research showed that any changes in visions of LASIK patients classified as transient. His study notes if changes in vision occurred it happened mostly in the final trimester of pregnancy, not the beginning. Identifying 32 eyes of 61 female patients with a mean patient age of 28 Kontari took a look at the changes that occurred in spherical refraction and distance visual acuity. Patients conditions listed as astigmatism or bilateral myopia. What the study revealed was pregnancy did not affect long-term post LASIK refractive stability. In other words, if a woman has had laser eye surgery in prior years to pregnancy, she most likely will not need LASIK surgery after pregnancy to correct any refractive errors.
Conclusion
A small study indicates that a much larger study involving pregnancy and the effects on LASIK needs to be done to create a baseline of what the norm is. LASIK does not affect fetuses at all. Having a LASIK surgery before any pregnancies stay stable despite all the hormone changes. Call the Houston LASIK clinic and get more answers to specific questions about your eye needs today.
Via
https://www.preventblindness.org/pregnancy-and-your-vision
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/ask-ophthalmologist-q/when-is-it-ok-to-get-pregnant-after-lasik
http://eyewiki.org/LASIK_in_Pre_and_Post_Pregnant_Patients
