LASIK can deliver life-changing benefits, eliminating your dependence on glasses and contact lenses once and for all. If you’re pregnant, we recommend that you wait until you are done giving birth and breastfeeding before you move forward with the procedure. Our ophthalmologists have chosen not to perform LASIK on pregnant women in order to ensure optimal levels of safety and the best possible results.
There are several reasons why we recommend postponing your LASIK procedure until you’re no longer pregnant and have finished breastfeeding:
- Pregnancy can result in fluctuations in your vision prescription – In order to be a good LASIK candidate, you must have a stable vision prescription for at least one year prior to undergoing the procedure. If your prescription is fluctuating often, it can result in an over-correction or under-correction. The changes to your prescription that occur during pregnancy are typically caused by hormones. By waiting until these vision fluctuations stabilize, our ophthalmologists can ensure you receive the best possible outcome.
- Exercising precaution regarding to exposing a fetus to certain medications – Many of the sedative medications and eye drops used during LASIK haven’t been tested on pregnant women. While it’s likely that they won’t have a negative impact on the developing fetus, there is also no reason to take that risk unnecessarily when you can simply wait a few extra months before undergoing your procedure.
- Aftercare drops and steroids can enter bloodstream – You’ll need to take certain medications and eye drops after your LASIK procedure to allow your eyes to heal properly and reduce the risk of infection. Some of the ingredients in these medications can enter the bloodstream. While it’s likely that they are safe for a developing baby, there isn’t any clinical testing to prove it conclusively. Therefore, our ophthalmologists prefer to exercise caution and avoid exposing your baby to a potentially harmful medication.
In order to ensure your vision has completely stabilized and avoid any potential risks to your baby, we recommend that you wait at least two menstrual cycles after childbirth before getting LASIK. If you’re breastfeeding, you should wait at least two menstrual cycles after you are done nursing your baby. During your initial consultation, our laser eye surgeons will discuss this timeline with you in greater detail.
Contact our Scranton/Wilkes-Barre LASIK Surgeons
Please contact Northeastern Eye Institute using the form on this page or call 855-204-6888 today to schedule a free LASIK consultation. We have 15 offices conveniently located in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.