While Lasik can significantly improve the eyesight of people suffering from nearsightedness or farsightedness, this procedure is not appropriate for everyone. In particular, Lasik surgery is generally not recommended for people with diabetes. Here are two reasons why and what you can do to overcome these issues.
Fluctuating Eye Sight
One of the main reasons why an eye doctor may be hesitant to perform Lasik eye surgery on a diabetic patient is because that person's eyesight will fluctuate based on what's happening with their blood sugar level. When your blood sugar level is high, it can cause the lens in your eyes to enlarge and make things in the distance more blurry. However, this effect goes away once your glucose levels returns to normal.
The problem is the eye doctor must be able to take an accurate measurement of your eye prescription since this is what is used to determine how much correction is needed to restore your vision. If the wrong numbers are used, the surgery will produce less than optimal results, and you may continue to suffer from blurry vision and needing glasses.
It's essential you work on stabilizing your blood sugar levels. Follow your doctor's advice and take your medication as required. Keep track of your glucose levels, and make appointments with the eye doctor on days you can be reasonably certain your blood sugar will be in the normal range so he or she can get the most accurate reading.
Slower Healing Times
Another issue that may impact your eligibility for Lasik is how well you are likely to heal after the procedure. Most people without diabetes can return to their normal routine within a few days after the surgery, though it can take up to 6 months for the eyes to fully heal. Because of the complications diabetes can cause in the body, however, it may take longer for people with this condition to heal. For instance, diabetes causes nerve damage, which often leads to poor blood circulation. This can make it hard for white blood cells to heal the eyes and fight off infectious agents, such as bacteria.
You'll need to plan on taking quite a bit of time to simply rest after the surgery and let your body recover. This may mean avoiding working for week or two, taking additional antibiotics, and, of course, keeping your blood sugar levels under control.
For more information about how diabetes can impact Lasik surgery or to discuss your eligibility for this procedure, contact an eye doctor at a clinic like Cornea Consultants of Nashville.
Share13 March 2017
Hello, my name is Martin. Welcome to my site about optometry. I want to use this website to talk about all of the tools and techniques used to measure vision and eye health. Optometrists can accurately measure the patient's ability to see by simply performing a series of unique tests. The visions tests require the patient's participation to find the right prescription for corrective lenses. The rest of the exam is performed to check the health of the eye from the surface to the retina. I invite you to follow along and learn all you can about this interesting subject. Thanks for visiting.
