I do not recommend having LASIK until eight weeks after pregnancy and nursing since vision can change during pregnancy and it is best not to expose the baby to absorbed eye drops. A woman from Thousand Oaks called our office today asking if she could have LASIK now that she had found out she was pregnant. We advised her to wait to come in until she was at least eight weeks past pregnancy and breast feeding.
There are several reasons why it is wise not wait to have LASIK if you are pregnant. First, your prescription actually can change during pregnancy and we would want to wait until it returns to its “true” state once pregnancy and nursing are completed and hormonal levels have returned to normal. Generally your prescription will return to what it was before surgery, but sometimes the changes that occurred during pregnancy can be permanent, giving you a new prescription.
Another factor is that we place dilating drops and anesthetic drops in your eyes during your pre-operative consultation in order to do a thorough eye exam and make sure you are a good candidate for LASIK. Both before and after laser vision correction eye surgery you are put on several eye drops, including antibiotic drops and anti-inflammatory drops such as steroid eye drops. Certainly, during pregnancy it is wise to minimize any medications being given to the mother and even though eye drops are not systemically absorbed in the body to a significant degree, it just makes more sense to avoid giving any medicines that might be transmitted to the baby. The same is true for nursing since eye drops could end up in microscopic amounts in breast milk.
Eight weeks after pregnancy and nursing, hormonal levels should be relatively back to pre-pregnancy baseline levels and your prescription should be back to its baseline state as well. At that point, it makes good sense to have LASIK to help you see without glasses or contact lenses during all those times you have to wake up in the middle of the night to take care of your new baby!
See Also
LASIK, Pregnancy, and Breast Feeding: What is the Best Timing?
A newspaper review of LASIK, pregnancy, and nursing.
Is it Safe to Have Vision Correction Surgery During Pregnancy
Two prominent ophthalmologists discuss LASIK and pregnancy in this site for new mothers.
Is LASIK Safe During Pregnancy?
A site discussing the safety of LASIK during pregnancy.
Facts You Need to Know About LASIK
FDA Patient Information Booklet for patients thinking about having LASIK.
When is LASIK Not for Me?
FDA discussion of contraindications to having LASIK.
LASIK: When It’s Time Just to Say No
American Academy of Ophthalmology site discussing issues that make you not a good candidate for LASIK laser eye surgery.