lasik and Hashimotos

[casey1963]

I have been considering lasik surgery but some research indicates if you have an autoimmune disease it disqualifys you as good candidate? Then I found another article that said it didnt matter.  Im  left a little confused.  I have recently been dx with Hashimotos and Im wondering how or why this could disqualify me as a canidate.  Is there anyone out there that has had the surgery or someone who can explain to me why this is not a good  thing to do. I posted on another board and didnt get a response so Im anxious to have feedback.  I would really like to have some feedback before i go see someone Also can you tell me if this disease can be controlled? or does it go domant or should i expect flair ups of flu-like symptoms?  Im not sure what to expect. I have some symptoms achy joint pain and fatigue that I contributed to getting older but  My test blood test came back and revealed high TPO, all other levels were inthe average range.  I was given a low dose of synthroid and have been fine. Iv had a little cool sensation inthe throat as though i may be getting ready for a cold but im not sure what is normal and what is attributed to Hashi's. Any comments advice or direction is welcomed  Thanks, casey

[Vasti78]

Regarding why some autoimmune diseases prevent a person from having Lasik Eye Surgery, some of the autoimmune disease cause people to suffer from dry eyes, others don't. People with dry eyes tend to not heal well from this surgery. That would prevent them from healing well, might cause vision problems, infections, or scaring. No responsible Dr would want do an elective surgery and take relatively small problem of vision correction and do the surgery and potentially cause much bigger problems. People with Hashimoto's Disease do not generally suffer from dry eyes and therefore sometimes Lasik surgery is possible, depending on your individual health history.

[Vasti78]

HIV is not an autoimmune disease. The "auto" part means a persons body attacks itself, without being infected by a disease from someone else. HIV is an acquired disease caught from someone else and therefore is a immune disease, but not an "auto" immune disease.

[anne1968]

I, too, have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and I went in for a pre-op appt for the Lasik surgery and saw on the form the question about whether you have an autoimmune disorder, so I asked the ophthalmologist about it and she said Hashimoto's didn't concern them.  Apparently it was other autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis,  and diabetes that they were concerned with.  I hope this helps. (I still don't see what the difference is when they are all autoimmune, but that is what I was told...)

[chigirl29]

I have had two autoimmune conditions--sorry if too much info--for learning purposes only--ulcerative colitis--immune systeam attacked my small intestines and my colon--finally stopped abou two years later.

Then body found the thyroid gland--killed it off in two years.

If your body is stressed and you have an autoimmune tendency, then there is a possibility that the body could try to destroy another body part--it just depends on genetics and other factors as well.

I want to get it done because I'm really myopic..so sad.  

However, I'm horrified that I will stress my body out and my eyes will be completely useless.

I'm not an expert, so you should follow ifupleeze's advice and ask your eye doctor.

[chigirl29]

I have had two autoimmune conditions--sorry if too much info--for learning purposes only--ulcerative colitis--immune systeam attacked my small intestines and my colon--finally stopped abou two years later.

Then body found the thyroid gland--killed it off in two years.

If your body is stressed and you have an autoimmune tendency, then there is a possibility that the body could try to destroy another body part--it just depends on genetics and other factors as well.

I want to get it done because I'm really myopic..so sad.  

However, I'm horrified that I will stress my body out and my eyes will be completely useless.

I'm not an expert, so you should follow ifupleeze's advice and ask your eye doctor.

[ifupleze]

I think the only one that can answer that is your eye doctor.  They are probably talking about HIV or some other form of autoimmune disease.  I don't believe it would have any thing to do with the thyroid.  But I am no doctor.  Call him.