Can you have laser eye surgery with high blood pressure?

If you have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), you’re not alone. It affects millions of adults worldwide and is often managed with lifestyle changes or medication. But what if you’re considering laser eye surgery to correct your vision? Can you still have the procedure safely?

The short answer is: Yes, in most cases, people with well-controlled high blood pressure can safely have laser eye surgery.But there are a few important things to know first.

Understanding Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery—like LASIK or TransPRK—is designed to correct vision by reshaping the cornea, so light focuses properly on the retina. It’s a quick, outpatient procedure that has helped millions reduce or eliminate their need for glasses or contact lenses.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure happens when the force of blood against your artery walls is too high. Over time, this can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other issues. It can also affect your eyes, especially if it’s uncontrolled.

Is High Blood Pressure a Contraindication?

Controlled high blood pressure is not a contraindicationto laser vision correction. But if your blood pressure is uncontrolled or if it’s causing damage to your eyes, it could affect your eligibility.

How High Blood Pressure Can Affect Your Eyes

Chronic hypertension can lead to a condition called hypertensive retinopathy, where the tiny blood vessels in the retina become damaged. This doesn’t impact the cornea (where laser surgery happens), but it can affect overall eye health.

Other complications can include:

• Retinal bleeding or swelling
• Optic nerve damage
• Delayed healing after surgery

This is why a thorough pre-operative eye exam is essential.

The Importance of a Suitability Assessment

Before recommending laser surgery, your eye surgeon will assess your overall eye health. If you have signs of hypertensive eye disease, this will be discussed in detail. You may still be eligible for surgery, or another option may be safer for you.

Your blood pressure will also be measured during your consultation. If it’s too high on the day of your procedure, surgery may be postponed for safety.

Tips for Patients with High Blood Pressure

1. Take medications as prescribed – Stability is key
2. Monitor your blood pressure regularly – Especially in the weeks before surgery.
3. Discuss your full medical history – Let your eye surgeon know about all health conditions.
4. Manage stress – Nervousness can raise blood pressure, especially before surgery.

What About Other Vision Correction Options?

If you’re not a candidate for laser surgery due to eye damage or other factors, alternatives like implantable contact lenses (ICL) or refractive lens exchange (RLE) may be considered.

Recovery and Monitoring

Recovery after laser eye surgery is usually fast. But patients with hypertension should stay on top of their regular medical and eye check-ups. Healthy blood pressure supports healthy healing.

Conclusion

Having high blood pressure doesn’t automatically rule you out from laser eye surgery. As long as your condition is stable and your eyes are otherwise healthy, you may still be a good candidate.

The best way to know? Take our quick suitability self-test today.