LASIK could be exciting for any adults as the surgery help them to get rid of eyeglasses or contact lenses forever.  Lasik surgery is known to correct farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism in adults. LASIK is becoming very popular among people who have refractive errors. And so, teenagers also wonder if LASIK surgery is suitable for them or not. After all teenagers also want to get permanent vision correction through Lasik surgery because corrective lenses are bothersome at times. Teenagers wearing contact lenses or eyeglasses are curious to get a natural appearance. Eye safety has to be the first consideration.

Lasik eye surgery is not recommended for children or teenagers. US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) strictly prohibits LASIK surgery for those who are below 18 years of age. However highly reputed eye surgeons do not perform LASIK surgery on a person who is not yet 20 years of age. Well the reason for this is that during teenage years, our eyes (vision) continue to change with the vision stabilizing finally at or near 20s. Since LASIK changes the shape of cornea permanently, it is indeed very risky to perform LASIK on a cornea that is changing in shape and size. In case LASIK is performed on a teenager, the entire procedure will perhaps be repeated when she/he reaches early adulthood.

Since eye continues to develop until the age of 20, visual outcomes of LASIK in children and teenagers are unpredictable. In fact surgery involves many risks. Although the minimum age allowed for LASIK is 20, some children with special eye conditions are approved to receive LASIK. In few cases involving severe vision conditions in teenagers, some ophthalmologists will perform LASIK for teenagers. For example LASIK is used on an off-label basis to treat amblyopic in children. Basically, teenagers who do not have any vision improvement from standard treatments like contacts, eyeglasses and patching can receive LASIK. Also teens that have chronic noncompliance or intolerance of standard treatment can resort to LASIK eye surgery.

Though there may be several good reasons for teenagers to be willing to have LASIK vision correction. Firstly, young people have more chances to develop myopia or nearsightedness. Secondly, some teens may hold limited appeal to glasses and contacts. This is because there are certain limitations with glasses and contacts. Glasses restrict the ability of teens to participate in sports activities; additionally they are at risk for extra taunting. Contact lenses are also not without the hazards if their own like tedious and repetitive following of instructions for removing and replacing lenses and storing them.

Although LASIK is not completely without the risk, however millions of people have undergone the procedure safely and they no longer depend on bothersome contacts or eyeglasses. LLASIK is far too risky to be performed on the corneas that are still fluctuating in shape and size. If FDA allows LASIK to be performed on teenagers, as mentioned above, it has to be performed again when they reached early childhood as the results of first procedure would probably be null and void.