What medications should I tell my eye doctor about?
Tell the clinic about all of them, including anything bought over the counter and any supplements, with particular attention to blood thinners, acne medication such as isotretinoin, and medication for diabetes or autoimmune conditions.
- Subject
- Surgery journey
- Topic
- Preparation
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
Some medications affect the tear film, some affect healing, and some affect the measurements themselves. The clinic can only account for what it knows about.
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under The surgery journey in Preparation . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
The UK professional body for ophthalmologists, which publishes standards and commissioning guidance for refractive surgery services.
Used for What good preoperative assessment and consent look like.
Link checked 22 September 2026