Lasik Eye Surgery for Kids: Is it Safe?

Parents with children who suffer with eye problems are naturally inclined to help them get the best treatment available. For those who have undergone Lasik eye surgery themselves, this option might seem like a great way to solve the problem once and for all while giving a child a chance to see the world clearly, without need for glasses.

While the results, so far, have been very positive for Lasik procedures in children, just like adults, the jury is still out on whether or not this route is a safe one to take for youngsters. Right now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only approved Lasik for patients 18 and older. Some procedures have been performed in extreme cases, but they’ve been overseen by an Institutional Review Board in the process.

There are a number of concerns that hold eye surgeons back from performing Lasik surgery on children. Perhaps one of the most notable is the fact that it is often very difficult to get a real feel for a child’s vision. After all, fitting kids for prescription lenses can be an exercise in trial and error. Add to this the complexity of a still-growing body and the red flags have been raised for many a surgeon. Even so, procedures have been performed, under review board scrutiny, to correct extreme vision problems. There’s also hope that one day Lasik might prove to be a viable option for those with lazy eye.

For now, parents overall will find that Lasik just isn’t an option for minor children. It may, however, one day be. In the meantime, for kids who have trouble seeing, it’s best to work directly with a skilled eye doctor to find a non-surgical solution to help them see more clearly while leaving Lasik as an option for them as they get older.

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The physicians at Ophthalmology Associates have offered eye care services in Fort Worth, HEB, Weatherford, and Granbury for over 40 years. For more information call us at (817) 332-2020 or Contact Us Online to request an appointment by simply filling out the on-line form. It's a beautiful world; you deserve to see it well!

At Ophthalmology Associates, our entire staff strives to work as a team to deliver exceptional eye care for you and your family in a comfortable environment. We want you to remember us not only for our quality of eye care..