Autoimmune diseases and other systemic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and ocular herpes simplex virus are considered relative contraindications for laser vision correction, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the American Academy of Ophthalmology. This recommendation was based on potential surgical complications and unpredictable healing responses, yet there are limited case reports of LVC on patients with these conditions. “The lack of large-scale studies on laser vision correction for patients with autoimmune diseases like RA and HSV contributes to the uncertainty,” says Nichelle Warren, MD, an anterior segment surgeon at Georgia Eye Partners in Atlanta. Read More