LASIK and Eye Surgery Blog - Clearview Eye and Laser Medical Center

Intacsâ„¢ eye implants are used to treat nearsightedness, as this space discussed on January 22. Not everybody is a good candidate for LASIK, and Intacs are a good alternative. Intacs are also a good way to treat Keratoconus.

What is Keratoconus?

It’s a condition of the cornea, the front clear part of the eye. Our eyes are filled with fluid and under a certain amount of pressure. The cornea resists the internal pressure and holds the eye's shape. Sometimes, the cornea weakens and the pressure causes it to bulge forward, impairing vision.

It develops slowly in most cases, and is therefore not noticed right away. But the eye becomes more myopic and astigmatic as the cornea becomes steeper and less smooth. You might also notice increased light sensitivity. Your prescription would be changing quite often.

Causes are not fully understood. But it is thought that an enzyme imbalance in the cornea might make it more susceptible to damage from free radicals. It tends to run in families. It is associated with too much sun exposure, chronic eye irritation, excess rubbing of the eyes, and poorly-fitting contact lenses.

Treatments have been:

• Soft contact lenses, which are not effective for very long
• Rigid gas-permeable contact lenses which help give a smoother shape to the cornea but are uncomfortable
• Use of both soft contact lenses and rigid lenses over them, which helps cushion the discomfort of the rigid lenses but can reduce the amount of oxygen passing through to the eye
• Hybrid contact lenses which have an oxygen-permeable, rigid center and a soft periphery.

Advantages of Intacs

These small plastic slivers were FDA-approved for keratoconus and myopia in 2004. By slightly raising the corneal edge, they have the effect of flattening the keratoconic bulge without pressing down uncomfortably on the center of the cornea.

• The procedure for inserting them takes only about ten minutes
• They can be easily removed if necessary
• They have been shown to improve vision by two lines on the standard eye chart

To learn more about Intacs and whether they might be a good option for you, please call or email us to arrange for a complimentary consultation.

• LASIK
• PRK
• IntraLase
• Presbyopia
• Implantable Contact Lenses
• Intacs
• Cataracts
• BOTOX®

Previous Posts

• Intacs and Myopia
• Glaucoma Awareness Month
• IntraLase is Speedy!
• What is Lazy Eye?
• Identifying Your Dominant Eye
• LASIK for Severe Myopia
• Lasers for Surgery: What's the Advantage?
• Floaters: What Are They?
• Cataract Surgery
• What is CustomVue™?