Is It Safe To Get Lasik After Being Diagnosed With Epilepsy?

Question

I was diagnosed with Epilepsy 10 months ago and with medication, have been seizure free for 9 months. Is it possible for me to get Lasik?

Jay Bansal, MD · Answer

The LASIK procedure itself lasts about 10 minutes.  Less than a minute of that time involve the actual laser treatment.  You will be watching a blinking light and be under topical anaesthetic for the duration of the treatment.  You should discuss with your neurologist if any of this might trigger an epileptic seizure for your specific condition.  There is a good chance that you could be a candidate for LASIK but a neurologist is a better specialist to consult regarding your own specific case.  Part of it depends on whether your seizures are caused by stress, flashing lights, or specific medications.  All of these might be conditions that you could experience.

Emil William Chynn, MD, FACS, MBA · Answer

It's safer doing a noncutting procedure like Lasek or epiLASEK if you have epilepsy because if you move during the cutting step in a LASIK or IntraLase you could have a serious complication. This isn't a concern if you choose one of the more advanced noncutting techniques

Is It Safe To Get Lasik After Being Diagnosed With Epilepsy?

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Is It Safe To Get Lasik After Being Diagnosed With Epilepsy?

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Everything you need to know about LASIK

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