Laser correction for short-sightedness is “safe and effective” for older teenagers, according to a new study.
Short-sightedness, or myopia, affects around one-in-three children and teens, and research suggests that it is becoming more common.
A type of laser treatment, called photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), is widely used to treat myopia in adults, removing the need for them to wear glasses or contact lenses.
But questions have remained over its use in teenagers.
Study leader Dr. Avinoam Shye said: “Some doctors worry that the eyes of teenagers may still be changing or that their eyes might respond differently to healing after laser treatment, increasing the risk of side effects.
“However, in certain situations, teenagers do want permanent solutions to their myopia.
“We noticed that despite these concerns, many teenagers aged 17 or 18 were getting excellent results.
“That led us to study whether PRK is truly a safe and effective option for this age group.”
Dr. Avinoam Shye, author of the study. (Avinoam Shye via SWNS)
The study included a group of patients with myopia who were treated with PRK between January 2010 and June 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel, with 65,211 eyes treated in total.
PRK involves using a laser to remove tissue from the cornea – the clear, dome-shaped layer that covers the pupil and iris.
The research team explained that the cornea acts as a “window” for light to enter the eye, so reshaping the cornea can improve the way light enters the eye and treat vision problems, including myopia.
Dr. Shye, of Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel, and his colleagues grouped the patients according to their age, so they could compare the effects of laser treatment in those aged 17 to 18 with those aged 19 to 40.
They found that the outcomes for older teenagers were as good or even better than they were for adults.
Around 64% of the teenagers’ eyes achieved 20/20 vision – normal visual acuity – compared with 59% of adult eyes.
The proportion of eyes that required a second treatment was “very low” (0.41%) in both groups.
Complications – such as hazy vision or weakening of the cornea – were also “very rare” in both groups.
Olga Guryanova
Dr. Shye said: “This is by far the largest study of PRK in teenagers, and this large sample size means the findings are very reliable.
“A limitation is that it is a retrospective study, meaning we analysed data that were already collected, rather than setting up a new trial from the beginning.”
He added: “The research suggests that for well-screened teenagers with stable myopia, PRK could be a safe and effective option, especially when contact lenses or glasses are not ideal.
“These findings may support expanding the criteria for offering PRK to selected teenagers.
“Age alone should not disqualify a motivated and well-suited teenager from having this treatment.”
The findings were presented at the annual Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Professor Thomas Kohnen, Chair of the ESCRS Publication Committee, welcomed the findings.
Kohnen, who was not involved in the research, said: “This large cohort study of PRK for treating short-sightedness shows that the procedure is safe and effective for older teenagers, suggesting that this could be an alternative option to glasses or contact lenses for some young people.”