Femto-LASIK for Children Active in Sports

At the winter meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons in Prague, research was presented that indicates femto-LASIK may be a safe and successful procedure for some children, according to Ocular Surgery News. If children are ever to receive the procedure, there must be very strong reasons for electing to do so. A major motivation for such a surgery would be if a child is heavily involved in sports. Because of the complications possible with such a procedure, the risks and benefits for a child would have to be very carefully assessed.

Dr. Kristina Vodickova, M.D., presented the results at the meeting. Twenty-five young people – some nearsighted, some farsighted – underwent femto-LASIK. The average age of the patients was about 14. All of the children were involved in high-performance sports, the kind requiring daily training. The children were motivated to participate in the procedure, and their parents were provided with counseling regarding the procedure.

Unlike traditional LASIK, femto-LASIK does not use a microkeratome, the blade used to create a corneal flap. Instead, femto-LASIK is an all-laser procedure. All-laser techniques are often recommended for LASIK patients with thin corneas. Dr. Vodickova reported that all the children were happy with their vision following the procedure, and that no complications – including dry eye – were experienced.

In the US, LASIK is FDA-approved only for people age 18 and older. In extremely rare cases, LASIK for a child may be approved for critical medical reasons, but never for cosmetic reasons alone.

To learn more about LASIK, please contact an experienced eye surgeon in your area.