If I Suffer from a Serious Eye Problem/Condition, can I have Laser Eye Surgery?

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Laser eye surgery is a brilliant operation that is able to change the lives of many patients who previously would have had to wear glasses. Unfortunately there are some exclusions that mean you may be unsuitable for laser eye surgery. The final decision as to whether you will be able to have surgery ultimately rests with your ophthalmologist.

Your eye is a very delicate organ that fulfils a vital role. It is important that you care for your eyes so that you don’t lose your sight. Some serious eye conditions can cause problems both during and after surgery, which can adversely affect your vision.

Conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy can cause a lot of damage to the eye. Glaucoma is caused when fluid can’t drain out from your eye, increasing the pressure within your eye, known as the intraocular pressure or IOP. If you have LASIK and suffer from glaucoma, the increased IOP can cause your reshaped cornea to bulge outward, blurring your vision. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition whereby blood vessels grow within the retina, leading to your vision becoming blurry. Laser eye surgery does not correct either of these problems. To ensure you get the best results from surgery, these diseases must be under control before an ophthalmologist will consider operating on you with a laser.

Read more about the unsuitability factors for laser eye surgery.

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