Lasik eye surgery

[LuckyD]

Has anyone with UC had Lasik eye surgery while on weekly humira? I also take Apriso and azathioprine (50mg daily).

For the longest time I have wanted to get it done since I have terrible nearsighted vision (-8 on both eyes). Long story short I went in for an evaluation to see if I'm a candidate and it turns out I am eligible!! I was told I have very healthy eyes other than my terrible vision. My procedure is scheduled for next week and the opthomologist assured me I don't have to stop my meds and I should heal just fine. For the record, my UC is in clinical remission.

I just don't understand why there is so much conflicting information out there that people with autoimmune diseases are automatically disqualified. They did do a very thorough evaluation with lots of test and medical history review. Some of the conditions and meds that automatically disqualified you, at least in their office, are the following: RA, Lupus, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, Accutane (med for acne) and pregnancy (hormones apparently change your vision).

 

[CatLover63]

Hello, I too have eyesight problems, very short-sighted, -7 and astigmatism. I 've worn contact lenses and now glasses as I found acuity wasn't great with lenses anymore and also more costly and fiddly. I have glasses for long distance and for reading. Let's face it, lazer surgery is about vanity. It's not a medical necessity. There are also risks as it involves lazer surgery on the cornea. It's hugely expensive. I went for a free consultation out of curiosity and the cost would have been the same as a new car. (Gulp). I would go for lenses and have a lovely holiday instead or some designer glasses. You can also have swimming goggles fitted with prescription lenses.

 

[t-bone]

Lucky,

Only you can decide if it's the right choice for you.

There's a lot of factors to consider, and the risk is not zero

However, the benefits to this procedure are many, and will last a good long time.
It sounds like you may be a good candidate to achieve excellent results.

There's a few things you can do to optimise your chances of a fully positive outcome.

... you've already done one of the most important things one can do
... You're here, and you're asking questions


The best path one can take is to do everything in their power to achieve optimum results
If your UC is in remission, sounds like you have a window to work in.
Now would be a really good time to maintain an even strain, and focus on staying healthy.

All medical procedures go better with a calm, rested and ready patient

Hopefully, someone with personal experience will post up how it went for them, and maybe some good advice on how to prepare for the appointment and procedure.

I think spending some time outside ( if it's warm where you are ) hiking, exercizing, or just chillin, watching the sunset will help relax you and prepare your mind and body for a few days of small challenges. I would strongly recomendsome good sunglasses to give your eyes a rest from the glare of the sun, and try not to use harsh bright light in the house/workplace.

I hope you have someone to watch over you for a day or two post procedure, and that things go well for you


Good luck, and update the thread with the results of your journey to better vision

 

[LuckyD]

Thanks for the honest feedback. Yes, lasik is not a medical necessity but it will definitely improve my quality of life. I have been wearing glasses since I was 8 and contacts since my late teens. I am a very active (I do MMA, running, swimming, tennis, etc) person so I am looking forward to the freedom my eyes will have. Not to mention the savings every year on contacts, glasses, solution, etc. The procedure itself is a lot more affordable than previous years. Luckily for me I am able to use my flexible spending account.

I'll make sure to post an updated afterwards in case anyone else is interested in having it done as well. All the best!

 

[CatLover63]

Good luck with the procedure. Horses for courses, each to their own, it's a free country and all the usual sayings.

 

[Mountaineer01]

I'm a bit too cautious sometimes, but I would strongly consider holding off on anything that's not medically necessary until when/if the covid situation calms down. Especially being on an immunosuppressant.

Also, I'm not sure how old you are, but they're finding out that if you have the procedure done over age 35 or so, you will still likely need reading glasses.

 

[LuckyD]

I appreciate your concern, but I already got the procedure done 2.5 weeks ago. Everything went extremely well and the doctors were actually pleased to see that my eyes are healing faster than they anticipated. I'm actually already seeing 20/20!! The facility I had the procedure done at has strict COVID-19 protocols so I felt safe. Plus the doctor who did my procedure is ranked as one of the top in the nation; he has done over 50k successful procedures and is a training doctor.

I was told that some could still end up needing reading glasses down the road. That is because as we age our vision weakens but it doesn't necessarily happen to everyone and you can always have a touch up to correct this. Either way my only regret is not getting it done sooner.

I will share that if any women are considering this and plan to have kids in the near future, get it done before pregnancy. I was told that pregnancy hormones change your vision so it is not done while pregnant or breastfeeding. In my case I'm currently 33 and hoping to conceive towards the end of the year...trying to have my 1st baby before 35. So I didn't want to have to wait until after my pregnancy to get my eyes fixed.

I'm a bit too cautious sometimes, but I would strongly consider holding off on anything that's not medically necessary until when/if the covid situation calms down. Especially being on an immunosuppressant.

Also, I'm not sure how old you are, but they're finding out that if you have the procedure done over age 35 or so, you will still likely need reading glasses.

 

[Mountaineer01]

Glad to hear it went well and that it's working!

 

[dreamintwilight]

Wow, Lucky! Thanks for sharing your experience!

I am on weekly Humira shots w/ azathioprine too and have been wondering about lasik. Like you, I found it difficult to find any helpful info online about people on immunosuppressive meds being eligible for the procedure or not.

This is encouraging, especially knowing how quickly things seemed to heal for you despite the meds! Definitely something to think about for the future (thanks for the tip on pregnancy/breastfeeding as well).

 

[LuckyD]

Wow, Lucky! Thanks for sharing your experience!

I am on weekly Humira shots w/ azathioprine too and have been wondering about lasik. Like you, I found it difficult to find any helpful info online about people on immunosuppressive meds being eligible for the procedure or not.

This is encouraging, especially knowing how quickly things seemed to heal for you despite the meds! Definitely something to think about for the future (thanks for the tip on pregnancy/breastfeeding as well).

I'm glad to see my experience is useful to others. It's been 4 weeks since the procedure and things are still looking good. I have 20/15 vision now and my only side effect is eye dryness. I was told this will subside with time. Still not regrets!

 

[Anish]

I'm glad to see my experience is useful to others. It's been 4 weeks since the procedure and things are still looking good. I have 20/15 vision now and my only side effect is eye dryness. I was told this will subside with time. Still not regrets!

Hello Lucky,
How are you now with your eyes? I am also taking Humira fortnightly with 100mg Azathioprine and Mesalazine 4g daily. I am also thinking of doing it but some post on google scares me. Can you please update how you doing.

 

[LuckyD]

Howdy everyone!

I’m happy to report that I’m still seeing 20/20 almost 4 years post surgery! My UC has been in remission this whole time, still on the same medication combo (weekly Humira, and daily azathioprine & Apriso). I had a baby in 2022 and was nervous about things changing but all is well. Minus getting GD and pre-eclampsia while pregnant but that was a completely unrelated thing. Thankfully those two things cleared up post pregnancy and both my baby and I are healthy.

 

[Anish]

Howdy everyone!

I’m happy to report that I’m still seeing 20/20 almost 4 years post surgery! My UC has been in remission this whole time, still on the same medication combo (weekly Humira, and daily azathioprine & Apriso). I had a baby in 2022 and was nervous about things changing but all is well. Minus getting GD and pre-eclampsia while pregnant but that was a completely unrelated thing. Thankfully those two things cleared up post pregnancy and both my baby and I are healthy.

Thank you for your reply.

It is really nice to hear that. I am also in remission for last 2 years with some flare ups in between which is controlled with few dose of steroids. Anyway great to hear about your and baby’s health. Take care and thank you.