Lasik surgery is a popular choice for adults who want to ditch their glasses and contacts, but infants and children are not usually eligible for Laski procedures. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, is responsible for governing the use of medical devices such as the lasers used in Lasik, and as of 2010, the FDA has not approved any lasers for general Lasik procedures on children under the age of 18.
Definition
Lasik, usually spelled with all caps -- LASIK -- stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It's a surgical procedure designed to help people with refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism to help reduce their dependency on glasses or contact lenses. During a LASIK procedure, a laser beam is used to reshape the cornea to change the way light is focused in the eye.
Eyes Change
One of the arguments against using LASIK for children is that it makes a surgical change to the eye. MedlinePlus notes that most children have refractive instability, which means that their eyes have not stabilized and their eyeglass prescription changes frequently. While LASIK may work in the short run, children would need another surgery or new glasses or contacts each time their eyes change.
Anesthesia
LASIK procedures were developed with adults in mind, and are intended to be done under a local anesthesia. That would be difficult for infants and children. The LASIK Eye Surgery Correction website notes that children would need to be given general anesthesia to keep them still during a LASIK procedure, and the laser systems were not designed for use on unconscious patients who are lying down.
Exceptions
While LASIK has not been approved for general use in children, clinical trials in the United States and elsewhere tested LASIK in some circumstances on young people. MedlinePlus notes that LASIK may also be considered in the rare case of a child who has normal vision in one eye but is very nearsighted in the other. Using LASIK in this circumstance may help prevent amblyopia, better known as lazy eye.
Risks
Even among adults, there are risks to undergoing LASIK procedures. The FDA notes that LASIK is a relatively new technology, and the long-term safety and effectiveness of these procedures are not known. Those who do undergo LASIK surgery may experience some loss of vision, problems with glare or halos, double vision or severe dry eye syndrome. There's also a risk of being over- or under-treated and having results diminish with age in far-sighted patients.
