Pregnancy and LASIK Don't Mix

If a LASIK surgical procedure were done based on the distorted diagnosis, the woman's vision would be "corrected" but then thrown out of whack once her hormones returned to normal. The operation would then have to be performed again. In addition, drugs used during the LASIK procedure are absorbed into the bloodstream and could damage the baby's health, particularly during the first three months of pregnancy.

There are no data on whether the drugs can enter the mother's milk, but if it does, it could threaten the baby. The drugs include a mild sedative to help the patient relax, post-operative antibiotic eyedrops to ward off infection, cortisone eyedrops to diminish inflammation, and eyedrops used to enlarge the pupils.

Dryness in the eyes is another reason pregnant women should avoid LASIK. The condition and the procedure both cause eye dryness, making it difficult for many women to use contact lenses. LASIK-caused dry eyes usually return to normal before long - although dry eye syndrome sometimes develops, which lasts a lot longer. So if a woman is pregnant with some eye dryness, undergoing a LASIK operation would make her eyes very dry.