Chronic diseases and laser vision correction

More and more people around the world suffer from chronic diseases. But the question is whether such diseases constitute a contraindication to laser vision correction.

A chronic disease is defined as a condition which lasts at least one year or longer. However, this criterion does not apply to all cases. This type of disease is characterized by a long course and recurrent symptoms and it usually requires ongoing pharmacological treatment.

Are chronic diseases a contraindication to a laser vision correction surgery?

Not every chronic disease negatively impacts patient’s eligibility for a laser vision correction procedure, provided that they are under constant care of a specialist and take properly selected medications that eliminate the symptoms.

If a patient is planning to undergo a laser vision correction surgery, at the stage of a preliminary qualifying examination, an ophthalmologist will ask for a certificate from a specialist doctor under whose care the patient is.

The certificate must contain information that a particular disease entity is stabilized and the medication dose remains unchanged. The lack of such a document may affect the final result of the qualification – the patient will be temporarily disqualified.

The list of chronic diseases which do not always have to be a contraindication to a laser vision correction procedure on condition that they are treated (an appropriate medical certificate is required) includes, among others thyroid diseases (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism), diabetes without complications (diabetic retinopathy), arterial hypertension, hypotension, asthma, psoriasis (topically treated), strabismus (not requiring medical treatment), rheumatic diseases, heart failure, diseases of the digestive system (intestinal or stomach diseases).

What if a chronic disease is not treated?

It would seem that ailments other than eye diseases should not affect the correction procedure. However, nothing could be further from the truth!

Any disease in the active phase has an impact on the functioning of the immune system. This means that it can prevent the cornea of the eye from healing properly and prolong the convalescence period and stabilization of the correction effect.

Diseases which constitute an absolute contraindication to the surgery

Sometimes patients suffer from diseases which are an absolute contraindication to the procedure. These include:

• Eye diseases: glaucoma, cataract, keratoconus – they negatively affect the reliability of the qualifying examination results, distorting them, which in turn makes it impossible to perform the procedure safely.
• Severe amblyopia, macular degeneration, retinal degenerative diseases, optic nerve damage, diabetic retinopathy – in case of the above diseases laser vision correction will not improve vision, just like glasses or contact lenses.
• Age under 18 years, unstable refractive error – vision defect progression is typical of young age and this may affect the correction result. The refractive error must be stable for at least a year before the procedure can be performed. It is assumed that the defect should already be stable at the age of 21.
• Some psychological disorders – diseases in which the behaviour of the patient remains unpredictable. What is more, medications administered during the treatment of those disorders lead to pupil dilation.

At the ArtLife Ophthalmologic Centre, for the sake of patients and the best results of the procedure, we ask about the patient's health condition and medications taken as early as at the registration stage in order to verify whether the disease and the administered drugs are a contraindication to laser vision correction.

Complete the online pre-qualification questionnaire or send an e-mail using the form in the CONTACT tab to find out more about whether laser vision correction is right for you and how to proceed.

Wstecz