INTACS

Corneal Implants: Another Non-laser Option for Correcting Nearsightedness

Intacs corneal implants represent a surgical option for correcting nearsightedness that doesn't involve lasers. Approved by the FDA in 1999 for mild myopia (-1.0 to -3.0 diopters), the technology uses two tiny, clear crescent-shaped pieces of a plastic polymer that are inserted into the cornea. The procedure takes about 15 minutes.

The corneal implants are designed for long-term vision correction. However, if you aren't satisfied with the visual results or are troubled by visual symptoms, you can have the Intacs removed or replaced with a different size. You also have the option of replacing them with new rings at a later date if your prescription changes with age.

Intacs Reshape Cornea

In people who are nearsighted, their corneas are too steep and focus light rays in front of the retina. Faraway objects appear blurry. The ring segments of the Intacs corneal implants reshape the cornea so it is flatter, allowing it to focus light rays onto the retina to produce sharper vision.

Most patients have sharper vision the first day after surgery but may need a couple of days of relaxation to promote healing. The Intacs ring segments can't be felt because they are beneath the cornea's nerve endings. Other people can't see them unless they look extremely closely into your eyes.

Special FDA Approval for People with Keratoconus

Intacs are also approved for reduction or elimination of myopia and astigmatism of people with keratoconus. Keratoconus is a progressive disease, often appearing in the teens or early twenties, in which the cornea thins and changes shape. The cornea is normally a round or spherical shape, but with keratoconus the cornea bulges, distorts and assumes more of a cone shape. This affects the way light enters the eye and hits the light-sensitive retina, causing distorted vision. Keratoconus can occur in one or both eyes.

Intacs are available at Corneal Associates of New Jersey. Call today for your free consultation to see if they are right for you.