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Seeing Clearly: Kids and LASIK
By Kendeyl Johansen
Future pediatric and adolescent candidates for LASIK will also include glasses and contact lens intolerant or noncompliant patients with significant nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism. LASIK would help these patients see better in school and enable them to better participate in recreational and sporting activities which can enhance social development.
Currently LASIK is only approved for patients ages 18 and up.
"Pediatric LASIK is currently investigational and should only be done as part of a clinical study," says Davidorf, whose office is preparing to begin a study. "As doctors learn more and study results are announced, the number of doctors offering LASIK to pediatric patients, as well as the number of suitable patients, will rise significantly," he adds.
LASIK can help most adults who wear glasses or contacts and it can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism. In a LASIK procedure, a specially designed laser reshapes the bed of the cornea, which can reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. Eyes are anesthetized with drops, so needles aren't involved. The procedure takes five or 10 minutes per eye, but the laser is only active on the eye for seconds. The effect is permanent.
After undergoing LASIK surgery, many patients achieve 20/20 vision.
"More than 90 percent of our adult patients are able to see well enough to pass their driver's test the day after surgery and there is very little discomfort," Davidorf says.
Thirty eight-year-old Sherri Lewis, of Salt Lake City, Utah, experienced no discomfort when she had LASIK surgery performed on both eyes. She was amazed at the results.
