A controversial eye surgery for children has been put on hold in Calgary.
Emily Funnekotter was born with what is commonly known as a lazy eye.
The 9-year-old has undergone treatment to correct the problem but she still struggles with vision in her right eye.
Funnekotter was scheduled to receive laser eye surgery last week but had it unexpectedly cancelled.
The girl's mother was initially told the procedure was cancelled because of funding but says she was later told it was because of a safety concern.
"If it's a safety issue, why is it coming up now after so many years of doing laser surgery, and what about those kids that received it in the past, it was unsafe but they proceeded with it," questions Karen Evans.
Laser eye surgery is not routinely recommended for children because their eyes have not fully developed.
But some surgeons have been offering the surgery as an option for children with a lazy eye.
"I think there needs to be further review," says Dr. Kortbeek the head of surgery in Calgary. "I think there's clearly a difference in opinion on the risk and potential benefits."
Last week, 14 laser eye surgeries for children were cancelled so experts could review the safety of the procedure.
