Motherhood is truly one of the biggest blessings in the life of women. And because of that, for many women, pregnancy will always be a joyful and blessed time, even if it comes with its own challenges and discomforts.
And most of the time, some of these challenges are less obvious than others. For starters, as many women have a bit more time on their hands while pregnant, they might opt to get a few things done before delivering their bundle of joy, as caring for their little one will leave them with little to no free time. They might try out several easy wellness techniques to help them improve their moods or might opt for other, more intricate things, like getting laser eye surgery to get rid of their glasses or contacts.
Still, the question begs to be answered: is it safe to undergo LASIK during pregnancy, or should you wait until after delivery? Simply put, experts simply don’t recommend undergoing LASIK while pregnant. To find out why and to discover a few other things related to LASIK surgery and pregnancy, feel free to read on.
How Vision Might Change During Pregnancy and Later, During Breastfeeding?
Expecting and nursing women all undergo significant hormonal changes. Unfortunately, most of these hormonal changes will trigger many alterations in the eyes, and one of the parts of the eye that experiences most of these changes is the cornea. More specifically, the corneas may swell, and their shape may also change a bit after a woman becomes pregnant. The changes triggered by these hormonal shifts may lead to temporary blurred vision, even in those women who have already undergone LASIK. Fortunately, this blurry discomfort is only temporary, and the patient’s vision will return to normal post-delivery after their hormone levels stabilize.
Is it Only LASIK that Should Be Avoided?
Ask any LASIK eye surgeon in New York (or any other place for that matter), and they will say that not just LASIK but any other type of eye surgery should be avoided if you are pregnant, unless we’re talking about an emergency intervention.
Simply put, LASIK laser eye surgery is not recommended for pregnant women as it may result in incorrect corneal changes in patients. Because of the elevated hormone levels in the body, pregnant and nursing mothers should avoid LASIK. For the most part, considering surgery should be safe after they’ve finished nursing for at least six months.
Also, as mentioned before, the changes in hormone levels during pregnancy may trigger temporary vision changes in those pregnant ladies as well who have already undergone LASIK. Fortunately, these symptoms of blurry vision will dissipate after the patient’s hormone levels stabilize and return to average pre-pregnancy levels.
More About LASIK and Breastfeeding
We’ve also talked about this above. Having LASIK after delivery while breastfeeding may also be a bit risky. So, to make sure that you get the most out of laser eye surgery, most ophthalmologists will recommend having the intervention at least half a year after nursing has ended. Experts agree that the woman’s hormonal levels have returned to average by then. Still, it’s possible to have surgery before that, but the six-month gap is mainly used as a safety net to avoid any possible side effects from the intervention. In other words, these six months are there to ensure the best possible outcome.
So, When Should You Opt for LASIK?
As mentioned above, if you are pregnant, the safest time to have the surgery should be at least a half year after you’ve stopped breastfeeding to ensure that your hormone levels are back to normal. This will enable the surgeons to get accurate measurements of your cornea and provide the best possible surgical outcome.
Until then, try to relax and prepare for the role of motherhood. In your downtime, instead of stressing about when you can get rid of your glasses, watch your favorite TV shows, or revisit old hobbies.
You’ll be glad to hear that once you’re a good candidate for LASIK, recovery will only take you a few days.
It’s Worth the Wait
If you are still expecting and want to get vision correction out of the way before your baby arrives, you might feel a bit disappointed to hear that you will be advised to postpone the intervention somewhat after you’ve stopped nursing. Remember, it’s for your own good. Six months after you’ve stopped breastfeeding, your hormone levels will return to normal, and no more corneal changes will be present.
Remember, this is highly recommended to ensure that you get only the best results from your LASIK procedure.
