For many youngsters who wear glasses or contact lenses, the notion of not having to worry about breaking their frames or losing a lens while playing sports is very alluring. Not to mention being specs-free for the prom. So it's not surprising to learn that eye care professionals are reporting an increasing number of young patients inquiring about Lasik eye surgery to correct their vision.
Millions have undergone Lasik since its approval by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration less than five years ago. But despite its benefits, which have been extolled endlessly in the media and on websites, the procedure is generally not considered suitable for people whose vision is still changing. Since these changes usually continue into an adult's early 20s, most Lasik practitioners don't recommend it for teenagers and children.
For the wearers of contact lenses and glasses, vision correction isn't a problem, as prescriptions can be easily updated and modified. But for patients who have undergone Lasik, additional surgeries may be required to reflect the changes that come with maturity.
The FDA approved Lasik for use on adults aged 18 and over, but there are no legal barriers to it being performed on a person of any age. But reported complications from Lasik in adults -- light sensitivity, a "halo" effect, dry eyes, corneal haze, infection, over- or under-correction, and in a worst case scenario, blindness -- make it even less attractive as an option for teens and children.
For young people, a viable alternative to Lasik is accelerated orthokeratology, or AOK (see our comparison). Sometimes called "braces for the eyes," AOK improves eyesight through the therapeutic use of contact lenses that reshape the cornea while the wearer sleeps. The lenses mold the cornea until the best vision possible is achieved. The wearing time is gradually reduced to a minimal duration, at which point the wearer switches to retainer lenses to maintain the new corneal shape and improved vision. AOK works best for people with mild to moderate near-sightedness and astigmatism, and can be utilized by teens and young adults. In fact, some studies have shown that it can actually correct teenagers' vision.
So if your youngster is needling you for Lasik surgery, rattle off the risk list, then tell him or her about AOK. If that doesn't work, mention that the most happening dude on the planet -- Harry Potter -- wears thick, round glasses. And as far as we know, the junior wizard has no plans to get his eyes surgically corrected. 
-- Jane Garcia
