Can I undergo LASIK if I have Sjögren's syndrome?

Doctor's Answers 3

Hi, in general, the answer is no.

The concern is that patients with Sjogren syndrome have very dry eyes, and LASIK (or any other laser refractive surgery including epiLASIK/PRK/TransepiLASIK/TransPRK/SMILE etc) will make the dryness worse.

It's worth remembering that dry eyes span a spectrum from mild to severe, and mild dry eye not related to Sjogren syndrome is not a problem for LASIK.

On the other hand severe dry eye, even if not Sjogren related, may 'disqualify' a patient from laser refractive surgery because of the risk of delayed epithelial healing, blurred vision after surgery, corneal inflammation, etc.

Even if a patient with Sjogren syndrome does not currently have very dry eyes, there is a high chance of developing this later on and experiencing problems as mentioned above. Hence laser refractive surgery is not appropriate for patients with Sjogren syndrome.

Sjogren syndrome is an autoimmune disease that affects the mucous membranes of your body and you will typically experience dry eye as one of the symptoms.

I generally would not encourage people with Sjogren syndrome to undergo any form of laser vision correction (such as LASIK/ SMILE/ PRK) as it can cause the eyes to be even more dry.

Besides an increased risk of infection, this can also lead to poor visual outcome, poor healing of the corneas, and increased discomfort during recovery.

Do note that dryness though can vary from patient to patient, it is recommended to seek your eye doctor’s opinion and undergo a thorough eye evaluation.

Photo of Dr Natasha Lim
Dr Natasha Lim

Ophthalmologist

No because you may suffer dry eyes as a result of LASIK. The preferred surgery of choice is Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) for Sjogren's sufferers as ICL will not cause permanent dryness.

I will need to know your age and whether you are a contact lens wearer or not.

I take the opportunity to provide you with some information on ICL for future consideration.

We offer Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) Surgery, and have our own in-house MOH-accredited Operating Theatres to perform Intra-ocular Surgeries, therefore you do not have to separately pay hospital fees to a third party and our prices are as quoted without hidden charges.

There are 4 prices ( which include Surgeon Fee, Hospital Facility Fee and Lens Implant Fee), and it will depend on whether your myopia is high or low, and whether you need to correct astigmatism or not:

(1) For low myopia ( <-7.50 Dioptres ) without astigmatism correction, the price is $2900.00 per eye.

(2) For low myopia with astigmatism correction, the price is $3500.00 per eye.

(3) For high myopia ( >-7.50 Dioptres ) without astigmatism correction, the price is $3300.00 per eye

(4) For high myopia with astigmatism correction, the price is $3900.00 per eye.

Post-op medications may be in the region of $50.00 depending on how many sets of medication one buys.

First Consultation is S$130.00 and includes all pre-surgery tests and measurements.

Post surgery reviews are S$85.00 per visit.

There are no further hidden charges except for 7% GST.

You may pay the cost of surgery by CASH / Visa or AMEX or MASTER Card. We offer 0% interest-free 6 - 12 months installment payments if you have a UOB credit card.

You can proceed to Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) Surgery 3 days after your first consultation as these implants have to be ordered in from Switzerland.

Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) is capable of correcting extremely high degrees of

  • Myopia
  • Hyperopia
  • Astigmatism
  • Presbyopia

Even in patients with thin corneas who are not suitable for LASIK surgery.

You should come in for a detailed eye examination by our doctor to decide whether you should do LASIK or ICL, according to your eyes' measurements and which procedure would be the safest for your eyes.

We have our own LASIK Operating Theatres and machines and will provide unbiased opinion to you, as to which surgery is best for your eyes. The only thing you have to prepare is to discontinue contact lens wear 3 days prior to your consultation / treatment.

At the moment, for a limited time period, there is a $5 ICL / LASIK screening by Optometrists at our clinic. So, if you would like to come for screening for suitability for ICL surgery by our Optometrists, please let me know and I will arrange this for you.

During this period, if you decided to take up ICL surgery after the screening and want to be examined by our doctor, we will give you a 50% discount for the first consultation ( $130 - 50% discount = $65 ).

Please do not hesitate to contact us at +65 6560 2220 to schedule an appointment for your eye check / assessment, otherwise, please let us know your preferred date and time through this email.

Thank you.

Kind Regards,

**Amelie
**

NOVENA Bladeless Cataract Surgery & Eye Specialist Centre

in association with

Dr. Natasha Lim Eye Centre

Tel: +65 6570 2220

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