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Myopia isthe lengthening of the depth of the whole eyeball (axial length).
During a child’s growth period, the axial length lengthens and myopia progresses.
Over time, the retina on the inner surface of the eyeball is stretched, and after adulthood this may lead to glaucoma or retinal degeneration (pathologic myopia).
As adults, we can correct myopia with LASIK or ICL.
These are surgeries that modify part of the eye.
• LASIK: the cornea (a laser removes tissue from the surface of the eye, thinning the cornea)
• ICL: inside the anterior chamber (an intraocular lens is implanted in the front part of the eye)
Myopia treatment with LASIK or ICL does not shorten the elongated axial length.
Therefore, the risk of glaucoma and pathologic myopia remains the same.
For children, it remains important to avoid myopia progression as much as possible during the growth period.
Common knowledge in ophthalmology about handling myopia progression in children has changed.
I noticed that I am now seeing more people who have had LASIK,
and I am sometimes told, “If your myopia gets worse, you can just get LASIK, right?”
so I wrote this article.
(Most people who work in ophthalmology, including ophthalmologists, seem to wear glasses or contact lenses rather than have LASIK or ICL surgery.)
