Possible New Laser Surgery for Presbyopia

A laser vision procedure called Intracor can treat presbyopia without creating a corneal flap and without ablating the epithelium. A corneal flap – such as the one created in LASIK – gives a surgeon access to deeper layers of the cornea by creating a hinged door that can be folded back. Ablation, on the other hand, vaporizes the very outer layer (epithelium) of cells on your eyes to provide access to the deeper layers of the cornea.

In the Intracor procedure, a laser beam actually focuses past the surface of the cornea and targets the stroma – the layer beneath the epithelium.

The new procedure is not yet approved in the US, according to Healio.com. In a study of 63 eyes treated with Intracor, more than 70 percent of the patients said they were satisfied with the results, but 20 percent said they were dissatisfied. A 20 percent dissatisfaction rate is rather high, compared to the same rates for LASIK, cataract surgery, PRK and other laser vision procedures.

If you have age-related farsightedness because of presbyopia, an experienced eye surgeon can help you find an effective treatment.

To find out if a laser vision correction procedure like LASIK is right for you, please contact an experienced eye surgeon in your area through our directory.