Are Intacs painful?

The procedure is considered to be very comfortable and pain-free. Intacs are typically not felt as the surgeon places the insert beneath the surface of the cornea. You will not receive any shots or needles. Numbing drops are typically all that is needed in preparing for surgery.

Are Intacs worth it?

Intacs can be very effective at changing the shape of the cornea and flattening the cone caused by keratoconus. But the Intacs procedure cannot halt the progression of keratoconus caused by weakening of the collagen (structural protein) within the corneal tissue.

How long does it take to recover from Intacs?

Most patients recover quickly, returning to their daily activities within 24 hours.

What does Intacs stand for?

Intacs are implantable intracorneal ring segments (also known as ICRS or corneal rings). This is a technique which may be helpful for patients with keratoconus or corneal optical irregularities such as ectasia after other surgeries.

Are Intacs permanent?

Intacs are designed for permanent placement in the eye, but they may be removed or exchanged if necessary.

How much does Intacs surgery cost?

The cost of Intacs® is typically around $2,000 per eye, less than the cost of a corneal transplant. Intacs® inserts are also far less invasive.

Are Intacs noticeable?

They are no more visible than a contact lens and can be removed or replaced if needed, although this rarely occurs.

Can Intacs be removed?

Intacs are designed so they can be removed if necessary or replaced later in life with different sizes or when a patient’s vision may change. Replacing them does not affect visual results and no problems have been recorded.

How long do Intacs take to work?

How long will it take for my vision to improve after the procedure? Most patients begin enjoying improved vision the day after the procedure. Within 12 months, 97% of all Intacs users have 20/40 vision or better.

Are Intacs safe?

Intacs are made of the same biocompatible material found in intraocular lenses used for cataract surgery, so there is little or no risk of adverse effects from the material. In a very few cases, however, eye irritation, blepharitis, or abnormal blood vessel growth in the cornea (neovascularization) may occur.

Are Intacs covered by insurance?

Intacs for the treatment of keratoconus is usually covered by major medical insurance companies. Patients should ask their eye surgeon and health insurance company for details.

Can Intacs improve vision?

Before considering the more invasive surgical procedure of a corneal transplant, Intacs are an option to improve your vision. It has been found that combining treatment with Intacs and Collagen Cross Linking significantly improves vision in patients with mild to moderate keratoconus.

Can you go blind with keratoconus?

Can You Go Blind from Keratoconus? Although keratoconus can progress rapidly in the beginning, it rarely causes blindness. Most people develop this condition during puberty. First, there may only be myopia and astigmatism, but this can rapidly evolve into severely reduced and distorted vision.

Is keratoconus a big deal?

Keratoconus, sometimes referred to as “KC”, is a progressive eye condition in which the cornea weakens and thins over time causing the typically round, dome-shaped cornea to develop a cone-like bulge that produces optical irregularities affecting vision.

Is keratoconus a serious disease?

Keratoconus can be dangerous if laser vision correction surgery such as LASIK is performed on the eye, because it can make the condition worse. Anyone who has even a small degree of keratoconus should not have laser vision correction surgery, unless recommended by the doctor in very specific circumstances.

Will keratoconus make me go blind?

No, Keratoconus will not cause complete blindness. It can lead to partial blindness or significant visual impairment. It may lead to reduced vision, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, etc. Keratoconus is a condition which if detected early can be treated well and patients will get back to their normal vision.