LASIK and Diabetes

Can Diabetics go for LASIK Eye Surgery?

If I have diabetes, am I a safe candidate for LASIK? The answer is…. maybe.

Statistic shown that 47% of people with diabetes had complications after the LASIK procedure as compared to only 7% among people without diabetes. This alarming statistic highlights the needs for extra caution to be exercised when dealing with LASIK surgery in people with diabetes.

LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, a surgical procedure to reshape the cornea with excimer laser to correct vision problems such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. People with diabetes can have LASIK surgery but should proceed with care because they might face the following problems:

Visual alterations due to changes in blood glucose control - It's been long recognized that major changes in glucose levels can cause short-term changes in vision. As a result, people with diabetes may experience blurry vision with their newly fitted contact lenses or spectacles if their blood glucose is out of control. That problem can be corrected by getting a new pair of lenses or glasses, but not with the permanent changes following LASIK surgery. Thus, good blood glucose control is important before and after LASIK.
Slower healing of the cornea after surgery - Abnormalities in the cornea are common in diabetes, and they may lead to slow or imperfect healing after LASIK surgery, delayed epithelial healing, persistent epithelial defects, neurotrophic changes and persistent erosions after LASIK that may last a long time.
Worsening of retinopathy - LASIK may further damage the retina in people with diabetic retinopathy.

At one point in the LASIK procedure, suction is applied to the eye. This suction causes increased pressure in the eye, and can potentially be harmful in some people with diabetes. So, for a diabetics to be qualified for LASIK eye surgery:

First, the patient must have his/her diabetes under good control. Fluctuating blood glucose levels might cause shifts in diabetics vision after LASIK and lead to an improper visual correction being performed.
Second, this patient must not has preexisting diabetic ocular complications (such as an unhealthy ocular surface, cataracts, retinopathy of any sort, fragile retinal vasculature or neovascularization) secondary to the diabetes.

Prior to performing any LASIK procedure, those qualified individual will need to go through an extremely thorough extra screening to ensure that they can have successful refractive surgery. A detailed retinal exam, close examination with a slit lamp, tear film and epithelial tests can lowered the high complication rate in individuals with diabetes who undergo LASIK.

If you have diabetes and interested in LASIK eye surgery, talk to your doctor, and consult an experienced, highly qualified LASIK surgeon. Make sure the surgeon is aware of your problem, and discuss your safety concerns. LASIK procedure has benefited millions of people worldwide including those with diabetes. Visit LASIK Laser Eye Surgery for more information.

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