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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Am I a candidate for LASIK eye surgery if I am diabetic?

    Related Topics
    Astigmatism Endocrinology Myopia & Hyperopia (shortsightedness & farsightedness)
    Can I still get LASIK eye surgery to correct for my astigmatism if I have type 2 diabetes?
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    Lynne McCleary

    Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE), Diabetes Educator

    I am a credentialled diabetes educator and have been a diabetes educator for approx 20 years. I run a diabetes clinic in Toowoomba, Queensland - … View Profile

    LASIK eye surgery is vision correction surgery only. If you need your vision corrected, you can have that done but it is not necessarily needed for people with diabetes. The laser surgery often spoken about in regards to people with diabetes has to do with the very tiny blood vessels in the back of your eye that may need to be lasered to prevent further bleeding.

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    Rowan Prendergast

    Optometrist

    Rowan has over ten years experience as an optometrist and since graduation from Melbourne University has worked throughout Australia and in the UK, in all … View Profile

    Having Type 2 diabetes should not preclude you from having LASIK refractive laser surgery.  As long as your eyes are healthy, your prescription is appropriate, and your vision is stable then you should be eligible.  Higher degrees of astigmatism may not be correctable with LASIK due to the elongation of the cornea.

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  • Dr Allan Ared

    Optometrist

    Over twenty years of experience as a clinical optometrist in direct patient care. Resident Optometrist on Talking Lifestyle 2UE weekly nights eye program. View Profile

    Generally speaking Diabetics have weaker anchoring cells on their corneal epithelium (known as hemidesmosomes) so any form of corneal refractive surgery may exacerbate the symptoms of dry eye. Diabetics are also slower healers and havce a slightly greater chance of infection. All this aside there should be no other contraindication to laser eye surgery provided all controls are met. Keep up with the topical lubricant therapy before and after surgery and enjoy clearer vision.

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