A major study of laser correction for myopia found that the procedure is as safe and effective in older teenagers as it is in adults, according to research presented at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.   

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is widely used to treat myopia in adults but questions remain over its use in teenagers, said study lead Dr Avinoam Shye from the Department of Ophthalmology at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel. “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.” 

The study included a group of myopic patients who were treated with PRK at Care-Vision Laser Centres, Tel Aviv, between January 2010 and June 2024, with 65,211 eyes treated in total. 

Comparing the effects of laser treatment in those aged 17–18 with those aged 19–40, they found 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, compared with 59% of adult eyes. 

The proportion of eyes requiring a second treatment was very low (0.41%) in both groups. Complications such as hazy vision or ectasia were also very rare in both groups. 

“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,” Dr Shye said.  

“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.” 

Researchers said they will continue to monitor the teenagers who received laser treatment to check for very late complications or changes in vision.