The Diabetic and Laser Eye Surgery

by moveforward on June 21, 2009

Diabetics, more often than not, succumb to a form of blindness called diabetic retinopathy. This is caused by the light absorbing nerves in the eyes or the retina’s degeneration. Inadequate supply of glucose to be used by these nerves is the main culprit in this degeneration because there is either no or low supply of the hormone insulin to be used to process glucose for the cell’s use. Also, the thickened bloodstream causes damage to the fine blood vessels leading to the eye, causing these blood vessels to burst. This leads to the cut off of supplies to these nerves in the eye. Diabetic retinopathy is just one of the many conditions that diabetics succumb to in the long run. The main difference though is that many advances in eye treatment have been made in the past few years and one of them is Laser eye surgery. Is Laser eye surgery or any laser eye surgery for that matter, good to treat diabetic retinopathy?

What is Laser Eye Surgery

This new fangled surgical procedure of the eye is called LASIK. The acronym stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a surgical procedure that reshapes the cornea with the use of an excimer laser to correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. In normal people, Laser eye surgery is the least invasive and most accurate procedure to treat problems with the eye. With diabetics through it is a whole different problem altogether.

The Issues with Diabetes and Eye Health

Medical practitioners have long determined that blood glucose levels have an effect on the vision. Major changes in the blood glucose level in diabetics have known to result in blurry vision despite new contact lenses or glasses. Thus, the inherent problem of visual alterations as a result of changes in blood sugar levels may only be addressed by external temporary means, such as changing lenses or glasses. Laser eye surgery is a much more permanent procedure and cannot be adjusted to the changes in one’s blood sugar level.

Another problem with Laser eye surgery and the diabetic is the slow healing rate of the diabetic. This is one of the results of the body’s inability to process glucose for recuperative means because of the absence or low supplies of the hormone insulin in the body. With this problem, the result is slow healing of the cornea, which may even lead to imperfect healing. The results can be delayed or even persistent epithelial defects, neuropathic alteration and corneal erosion as a result of the diabetes condition. Or Laser eye surgery may even exacerbate the diabetic retinopathy of the individual instead of actually healing it.

The surgery may result in further damage to the retina because the retinopathy cannot be reversed and the remaining healthy cells are damaged by the surgical procedure. Since it is a form of surgery, suction is needed to remove the blood from the area and the surgeon uses suction for this. This suction can produce increased pressure in the eye and injury results in the other parts of the eye. Any injury on a diabetic is a difficult event since the rate of healing of a diabetic is much slower than a normal individual.

Is Laser eye surgery Recommended for Diabetics

Laser eye surgery, after review of its effects, is not automatically available to diabetics as a procedure for eye treatment. There are many medical issues associated with diabetics that are magnified in the small confines of the eye. So long as the diabetic complies with all the requisites identified below, Laser eye surgery may become an option in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

· The first requirement is that the diabetic condition must well be under control before even considering Laser eye surgery. If the blood glucose levels are not evenly managed, then this can result in shifts in the vision of the diabetic. This leads to improper visual correction being performed by the Laser eye surgery.

· The second requirement prior to consideration for Laser eye surgery is that there is no pre-existing diabetic ocular complication that can be affected by the surgical procedure. The conditions sought avoided here includes an unhealthy ocular surface, cataracts, any form of retinopathy, fragile retinal vasculature or neovascularization as a result from diabetes. Should any of these conditions be present, then the eye surgery should not be performed.

· The third requirement is a thorough eye examination to be conducted prior to the Laser eye surgery procedure. The tests include a detailed retinal exam, close examination of the eye with a slit lamp, tear film and epithelial tests are but some of the tests that a diabetic undergoes prior to consideration for the Laser eye surgery. These tests drastically lower the rate of complications that are risked by diabetics who undergo Laser eye surgery.

Laser eye surgery Is still an Option

Since Laser eye surgery is one of the most modern advances in eye treatment available today, it has been used even on diabetic patients without regard to the pre-existing conditions inherent in the patient. This unbridled use of the surgical procedure has resulted in a 47% complication rate for diabetes sufferers after undergoing LASIK. Now, after the due realization of these facts, many surgeons have taken a second look in the use of Laser eye surgery procedures on diabetics. This has resulted in much more stringent requirements and baselines before even being considered for the procedure.

On your part, should you insist on availing of Laser eye surgery and you are a diabetic, here are some tips on how to comply with the stringent standards to be considered for laser eye surgery.

Eat a well balanced and sugar controlled diet.
Have your eyes examined regularly to forestall any changes that may occur
Keep your blood pressure at normal levels.

Not only are these healthy tips for your everyday life, but also these become much more important for you should you need laser eye surgery. If you do qualify for laser eye surgery, this would help you in the long run for your quick recovery and recuperation.