Can You Have Lasik Surgery if You Have Graves Disease?

Yes, it is possible to have LASIK. However, you will have to often carefully treat any dry eye symptoms.

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 difficult.

After Graves' has been treated and the situation has quieted down, it may be possible to have LASIK or in mild cases.  This situation is best decided by you and your doctor.

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 usually not indicated. Some patients with Grave's disease have double vision due to ocular misalignments and eye muscle dysfunction, it is important to understand that LASIK surgery will not correct this situation.

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.

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.