Diabetic retinopathy
People with diabetes are normally assessed annually for diabetic changes
(retinopathy) at the back of the eye. If you have central diabetic retinopathy,
your vision may be slightly impaired. Laser eye surgery will not improve vision
that is reduced as a result of retinopathy, and many surgeons will not treat
such people.
Slower healing
Because people with diabetes may heal more slowly, the cornea, which is what is
treated during laser eye surgery, can take longer to recover. Some laser eye
surgeons insist that diabetics have Intralase, which is the premium type of
Lasik surgery and is thought to have a quicker recovery time.
Fluctuating prescription
If your diabetes is not well controlled, your variable blood sugar levels can
result in your prescription changing. This means that your optician or surgeon
will not be able to get an accurate measurement of your prescription for your
laser eye surgery correction. This could lead to the laser vision treatment not
being accurate.