Can I Get Lasik While I'm Breastfeeding?

When I was breastfeeding my youngest I decided I was done with trying to wear contacts (because they dried the heck out of my eyes) & done buying glasses. It was time for eye surgery. I called the doctor's office to set up an appointment. Of course, they asked if I was pregnant or breastfeeding? I was still breastfeeding her but did not plan on having any more children. I was planning on stopping soon but I would still have to wait several months until I could have the surgery. I waited an extra month just to be sure the changes were reversed.

No! Changes in hormones, metabolism, fluid retention, and blood circulation can all affect your eyes and your eyesight during pregnancy.

Water retention, for instance, may cause the thickness and curvature of the cornea of your eye to increase slightly. It's a small change, but it could affect how well your glasses or contacts correct your vision. It's also why laser eye surgery isn't recommended during pregnancy and why it's not a good time to be fitted for new contact lenses.

If you experience vision changes during pregnancy, they'll probably be minor. Most women who experience a change find that they're a bit more nearsighted than they were before pregnancy.

If you wear glasses, it's unlikely that you'll need to change your prescription, but it is possible. If you think your vision has changed significantly, have it checked.

Pregnancy isn't a great time to invest in a new pair of glasses, though. In most cases, these changes are temporary and will reverse themselves within several months of delivery.

How else can pregnancy affect my eyes?You may find that your eyes are drier and more irritated during pregnancy (as well as during breastfeeding). This, along with subtle changes in the shape and thickness of the cornea, may contribute to some difficulty wearing contact lenses that were once comfortable.

Pregnancy can also bring about changes in existing eye conditions – for better or for worse. If you have diabetes, see an ophthalmologist before you get pregnant and again in early pregnancy to get screened for damage to the blood vessels in your retina. This condition, called diabetic retinopathy, often worsens during pregnancy, so you'll need more frequent eye exams while you're pregnant and in the postpartum period.


I had my eye surgery in the early Spring. I was so excited I couldn't stand it! I signed the huge stack of paperwork (as required) & I was dialated to get my eyes corrected to 20/20 vision. The results I could see: some were immediate the rest of the correction was evident that next morning when it would be required for me to drive myself to the appointment for the next part.

I will have to say the colors were the best & brightest EVER! I was so glad I waited. Now, many years later I still enjoy most of that same vision correction. My distance is still 20/20, the rest isn't much of a change. I'm so glad the told me up front that they wouldn't do it right away. Because of the great expense & it being out-of-pocket I didn't want to have to pay again to have it.