Most of us know an adult that sees better because of LASIK eye surgery. But can children with bad vision benefit from the LASIK procedure?

Suzy Maloney's son has very poor vision and has worn glasses since 2nd grade. The Raleigh, N.C. mother, worries about her 11-year-old son wearing safety glasses while playing sports. His lenses could somehow break or the glasses could slip, causing an accident.

"My son has expressed interest in LASIK because of sports, and I think he also worries about the social aspects of glasses," she says.

Maloney isn't alone. Other parents share concerns about their kids wearing safety glasses or contacts while playing basketball, swimming or pursuing other physical activities. LASIK may help active kids see well without lenses someday.

A recent article in The Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery reported LASIK and other eye surgeries, which are usually only for adults, may provide the best treatment for certain children. The article details the case of a contact lens and glasses intolerant 16-year-old girl who underwent LASIK surgery to correct significant farsightedness in both eyes. Almost two years after surgery, the girl is still seeing well without glasses.

"Because pediatric LASIK is considered quite new, it may be difficult for parents to get great advice on the subject," says Dr. Jonathan Davidorf, medical director of Davidorf Eye Group, in West Hills, Calif., and instructor of ophthalmology at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute.

He explains that children with significant amblyopia (lazy eye), has a large variance in glasses prescription between the two eyes, that has not responded well to traditional therapy like glasses, contacts and patching, would likely be excellent candidates. These children may face permanent vision loss if nothing is done.

Future pediatric and adolescent candidates for LASIK will also include glasses and contact lens intolerant or noncompliant patients with significant nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism. LASIK would help these patients see better in school and enable them to better participate in recreational and sporting activities which can enhance social development.

Currently LASIK is only approved for patients ages 18 and up.

"Pediatric LASIK is currently investigational and should only be done as part of a clinical study," says Davidorf, whose office is preparing to begin a study. "As doctors learn more and study results are announced, the number of doctors offering LASIK to pediatric patients, as well as the number of suitable patients, will rise significantly," he adds.

LASIK can help most adults who wear glasses or contacts and it can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism. In a LASIK procedure, a specially designed laser reshapes the bed of the cornea, which can reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. Eyes are anesthetized with drops, so needles aren't involved. The procedure takes five or 10 minutes per eye, but the laser is only active on the eye for seconds. The effect is permanent.

After undergoing LASIK surgery, many patients achieve 20/20 vision.

"More than 90 percent of our adult patients are able to see well enough to pass their driver's test the day after surgery and there is very little discomfort," Davidorf says.

Thirty eight-year-old Sherri Lewis, of Salt Lake City, Utah, experienced no discomfort when she had LASIK surgery performed on both eyes. She was amazed at the results.

"I had worn glasses for 20 years and it felt great to get rid of them," she says.

Her vision was corrected to 20/20 and she returned to work the same day she had surgery; however, working so soon after surgery isn't recommended. Patients usually take a day or two off to get accustomed to their new eyesight. Most patients report dramatic improvement in vision within 24 to 48 hours after LASIK.

Davidorf says treating pediatric patients with LASIK will include a recovery marked by patching therapy (eye patches) and the ultimate visual benefit may not be realized for several weeks. Patching use will depend on the child's age.

Refractive surgery doesn't come cheap and most insurance plans don't cover it because they consider the surgery cosmetic. In May of 1999, Refractive Market Perspectives reported that the average price for LASIK was $1940 per eye. The price fell slightly from the previous quarter, but it hasn't fallen as quickly as expected from the growing number of competitive refractive surgery centers. Eye centers offer financing to help make costs more manageable.

LASIK has only been performed on adults in North America for the last 10 years and studies about long-term effects are ongoing. Experts state LASIK patients are unlikely to experience future vision problems, but patients may need reading glasses around age 40 or 50 as part of the normal aging process.

Parents wishing to keep current with pediatric and adolescent LASIK advances should consult their child's eye doctor, who can provide updates or referrals to appropriate specialists or studies. LASIK surgery isn't for every child, but it's already helping certain kids see more clearly.