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Can You Have Lasik Surgery if You Have Graves Disease?
asked 1 year ago by 8656anon in st louis
Latest answer by Christopher Coad, MD
Question viewed 870 times
6 answers to Can You Have Lasik Surgery if You Have Graves Disease?
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Yes, it's possible
Yes, it is possible to have LASIK. However, you will have to often carefully treat any dry eye symptoms.
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LASIK Surgery and Graves Disease
While I don't see a direct contraindication to having LASIK if you have Graves Disease(a type of thyroid disease), if it is an advanced form of the disease and you have eye sypmtoms of significance then I would be careful. Your surgeon will be able to discuss this with you. I have performed LASIK on many patients with mild forms of thyroid disease and I have never seen a complication with these patients.
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Graves' disease means be cautious about LASIK
Although people with thyroid medical problems can have LASIK, when it becomes clinically expressed as Graves' disease, there is greater risk of problems. In Graves' patients can have a combination of problems which can lead to excessive dry eye conditions. Tissue and muscles behind the eye can swell forcing the eye forward in additon to the condition causing less blinking and a wider opening of the eyelids. All of this can make the healing after LASIK more...
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Jon Dishler, MD
Denver Ophthalmologist
Denver Ophthalmologist
+1
Grave's disease and LASIK
Yes, people with Grave's Disease can have LASIK surgery. People with Grave's disease tend to have a higher incidence of dry eyes and ocular surface inflammation, both of which need to be controlled adequately before proceeding with surgery and followed closely and treated aggressively after the surgery.
Some patients with Grave's disease can have eyelid closure abnormalities with resultant corneal exposure and severe corneal dryness, in these patients LASIK surgery is...
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Christopher Starr, MD
New York Ophthalmologist
New York Ophthalmologist
+1
LASIK in Grave's disease
Grave's disease is an autoimmune condition associated with abnormalities of the thyroid gland. It can cause protrusion of the eyes, muscle disorders and dryness. It is important that you seek the care of an eyeMD to determine what ocular conditions you have due to Grave's.
Sandy Feldman, MD
San Diego Ophthalmologist
San Diego Ophthalmologist
+1
LASIK in Graves Disease
Patients with Graves disease may not be the best candidates for LASIK surgery, as dry eye is often associated with autoimmune thyroid disorders such as Graves. Since LASIK can make dry eyes worse, this could potentially compound the symptoms caused by Graves.
If you are considering refractive surgery and suffer from Graves disease, you may want to look at another procedure, the ICL or implantable contact lens. This type of surgery does not make dry eyes worse, and depending on the...
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Robert Rivera, MD
Chandler Ophthalmologist
Chandler Ophthalmologist