How Intacs® Can Successfuly Treat Keratoconus
Dr. Steven Chander is a leading eye care specialist in Chicago, offering patients advanced treatment options for refractive errors as well as more serious issues that affect vision quality and overall health and wellness. He's been able to help a number of patients who suffer from keratoconus, a vision problem that you may not know by name.
Let's take a moment to consider the nature of this condition how a state-of-the-art treatment known as Intacs® can help.
What Is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a condition in which the eye bulges outward in an irregular and pronounced way. Th result is a shape that is ovular rather than spherical. To help illustrate this, if the eye is regularly shaped like a baseball or a basketball, a case of keratoconus would cause the eye to be shaped more like an egg or a football. When this happens, it can cause a person to experience issues with overall vision quality, including cloudy vision, light sensitivity, issues with glare, blurriness, distorations of vision, and issues with night vision.
Causes of Keratoconus
Keratoconus occurs when the collagen fibers of the cornea weaken or become thin. As a result, the eye bulges out in this weakened portion of the eye.
The condition tends to run in families, which means people with parents or siblings who have keratoconus are more likely to experience this condition. It's typical for the condition to start in a person's teenage years, though it can show up during a person's 30s and even 40s.
When Treatment for Keratoconus Is Necessary
Once the bulging of the cornea is pronounced, it can be the cause of much concern. Should the bulging go untreated, it can lead to corneal scars and other major eye problems. Early detection and reasonable treatment are ideal.
About Intacs®
That brings us to Intacs®. Intacs® are small semi-circular rings that can be used to help treat keratoconus. These corneal implants are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and offer a minimally invasive solution to this problem.
With Intacs® in place, the cornea is reshaped and flattened, which improves vision and prevent further corneal bulging and potential damage from occurring. This is a great way of improving eye health and avoiding the need for a corneal transplant.
Good Candidates for Intacs®
Good candidates for Intacs® are people who are at least 21 years old. They should have a stable prescription for their vision, with no more than -3.0 diopters of mypoia (nearsightedness) and less than 1.0 diopters of astigmatism. Patients should also be made fully aware of all the risks and benefits of this minimally invasive procedure so they can make well-informed choices about their wellness.
The Intacs® Procedure
The entire Intacs® procedure typically only takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Patients will have anesthetic eye drops placed to prevent pain and discomfort. A small incision is made in the surface of the cornea. A center guide is then placed in order to ensure proper position of the Intacs®. Once the Intacs® are in place, the incision is sutured shut.
That's all there is to it. Follow-up visits are scheduled to ensure that patients are healing properly and free from complications.
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Steven Chander
To learn more about Intacs® and your many other options for treating eye issues such as keratoconus, be sure to contact our advanced eye care center today. Dr. Steven Chander and his team will help you have great vision and healthy eyes.
