Methods for correcting refractive errors
Disease description:
Recently, my child was diagnosed with a mild refractive error. The doctor mentioned that if it worsens, surgery or wearing glasses would be necessary. I'd like to know what the best treatment options are for refractive errors in children.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Shuai
Refractive error correction methods mainly fall into two categories: non-surgical and surgical correction. In non-surgical correction, the most common approach is wearing eyeglasses, which can be prescribed with lenses of appropriate power based on refraction results to provide clear vision. Additionally, for those who prefer not to wear glasses, contact lenses are an alternative option, including soft and rigid gas-permeable corneal contact lenses. Surgical correction includes laser corneal refractive surgeries such as small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond LASIK, which reshape the cornea to correct vision. For individuals unsuitable for laser surgery, implantable collamer lens (ICL) surgery—implantation of a phakic intraocular lens in the posterior chamber—is another option. The choice of correction method should be determined according to the patient's specific condition and the doctor's recommendations.
