It is not recommended to undergo a refractive surgery during pregnancy or in the period post-birth of breast feeding due to some hormonal changes in females which can lead to eye dryness and temporarily changes in her prescription for eyeglasses and/or contact lenses. Board certified Lasik surgeon Dr. William Boothe says that the hormones which are produced in such periods influence the way your eyes refract light and may cause eye conditions such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism for a while.

Such vision instability during pregnancy and lactation make it difficult for any eye surgeon to pin down your real eyesight problems. In case if laser eye surgery is performed in this period, pregnant or breastfeeding patients may suffer from undercorrected or overcorrected vision two or more months later once the hormonal balance returns to normal levels and becomes stable, as it was before pregnancy. Moreover, the post-op healing process will be accompanied by periodic eyesight changes as the eye adjusts to the vision correction procedure. Hence, there would be a great difficulty to detect whether eyesight instabilities take place as a result of the pregnancy or the refractive surgery itself.

Antibiotics and steroid eye drops which have to be taken during the recovery period are another source of concern for pregnant or breastfeeding patients. Using these prescribed medications at the time of pregnancy may do harm to your baby. That is why Boothe Laser Center recommends to put off your laser procedure for two or more months after giving birth. By then, your eyes condition will revert to what it was before pregnancy period. What is more important is to make certain that your vision has become stable.

Also, if you are going to have a baby in the near future (in one to two years), Boothe Laser Center often recommends not to undergo laser correction until after you have given birth. Thus, you can be confident you will have the best opportunity of obtaining a precise and long-term eyesight correction. In some cases, after thorough examination, you may be able to undergo Lasik while in pregnancy, but this has to be determined by your doctor. If you live in the Dallas area, make sure you stop by the Boothe Eye Center to learn more about your options.