Can a diabetic have laser eye surgery?

Many people with diabetes wonder: can a person with diabetes have laser eye surgery? It is possible in some cases, but there are extra checks and risks to be aware of.

What is laser eye surgery?

Laser eye surgery (also called refractive surgery) is a procedure to change how light focuses in the eye. The aim is to reduce or remove the need for glasses or contact lenses. The surgeon uses a laser to reshape the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye).

What risks does diabetes add?

If you have diabetes, your eyes may have additional stress. High or fluctuating blood sugar can affect the clarity of your cornea, the health of your retina (the back of the eye), and your healing ability. Because of this:

• The cornea may heal more slowly.
• You may be at greater risk of swelling, infection or complications.
• Retinal problems (like diabetic retinopathy) might make surgery less safe or less effective.
• Fluctuating vision (from blood sugar changes) may change your prescription over time.

So while having diabetes does not automatically disqualify you, it means we must be extra careful and do more screening¹ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3497454/ .

What factors we check for suitability

At Blink Vision Clinic, before recommending laser eye surgery for someone with diabetes, we will check:

1. Blood sugar control
   We want your HbA1c (a long-term blood sugar measure) to be stable and within a safe range.
2. Eye health
   We will check your retina for any signs of diabetic eye disease (e.g. diabetic retinopathy).
   If there is any active disease, that must be treated first.
3. Corneal health and thickness
   We assess whether your cornea is thick enough and healthy enough to respond well to laser surgery.
4. Vision stability
   Your prescription should be stable for at least 12 months. Big changes in your glasses prescription make outcomes less predictable.
5. Overall health and healing capacity
   We consider other health factors like high blood pressure, kidney disease or smoking that may slow healing.

If all of the above are favorable, you may be a candidate, but it is not guaranteed.

What outcomes and risks you should understand

We must be clear. Laser surgery is not perfect, and especially for people with diabetes² https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/laser-treatment-for-diabetic-retinopathy:

• Your vision might not be “perfect”: you may still need glasses for some tasks (reading, night driving).
• Some vision fluctuations may occur with changes in blood sugar.
• There is a small risk of complications (e.g. infection, scarring, under- or over-correction).
• If eye disease (like retinopathy) develops later, that may affect your vision even if the surgery was successful.

How we manage those risks

At Blink Vision Clinic, we take extra steps for diabetic patients:

• Detailed eye and retinal scans to exclude any active disease
• Closer follow up checks after surgery
• Slower, more cautious treatment plans
• Clear consent processes where you fully understand risks and uncertainties

When laser surgery may not be recommended

In some cases, laser surgery may not be safe or wise if diabetic conditions are present:

• Active or severe diabetic retinopathy
• Uncontrolled blood sugar or unstable HbA1c
• Very thin corneas or corneal disease
• Other health conditions that impair healing

In such cases, we may recommend alternative vision correction options, or first treat the eye disease before reconsidering surgery.

What you can do before considering surgery

If you are diabetic and curious about laser eye surgery, here are steps you can take:

• Work with your GP or endocrinologist to keep blood sugar under control
• Have regular diabetic eye checks
• Maintain a stable prescription (glasses/contact lenses)
• Discuss your full medical history with your eye surgeon

Ready to check your suitability? Take our quick suitability self-test to see if laser surgery might be an option for you.