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Intacs® for Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease in which the normally round cornea thins and begins to bulge into a cone-like shape. This cone shape deflects light as it enters the eye on its way to the light-sensitive retina, causing distorted vision. Keratoconus can occur in one or both eyes and often begins during a person’s teens or early 20s. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with keratoconus and would like to learn more about Intacs® corneal implants in Location, please contact our team today to schedule an eye exam.

Have You Seen Our Keratoconus Webinar?
Dr. Blanton believes in educating patients as much as possible. Earlier this year, Dr. Blanton hosted a free virtual webinar for patients to learn more about Intacs® Corneal Implants. Watch Webinar now.

As the cornea becomes more irregular in shape, it causes progressive nearsightedness and irregular astigmatism to develop, creating additional problems with distorted and blurred vision. Glare and light sensitivity also may occur.

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LASIK and keratoconus

Because keratoconus is a degenerative corneal disease that causes thinning of the cornea and leads to unpredictable and irregular changes in the shape of the front surface of the eye, LASIK generally is not recommended for anyone with keratoconus. LASIK and other laser refractive surgery procedures like PRK and SMILE correct refractive errors by removing some corneal tissue to reshaping the cornea through the removal of some corneal tissue, making the cornea thinner.

If you have keratoconus and are interested in refractive surgery to correct your vision, the first step is to have your cornea carefully examined by Dr. Blanton, a cornea and LASIK specialist. You may be a candidate for Intacs®.

Intacs® for Keratoconus

If you have been told by Dr. Blanton or another cornea specialist that LASIK Surgery isn’t for you – don’t worry there may be an alternative to glasses or contacts.

At Inland Eye LASIK we offer Intacs® corneal implants as a treatment for keratoconus.

How Intacs Work

Intacs are small, micro-thin corneal implants that are inserted into your cornea. They are designed to reshape the curvature of the cornea – not by removing corneal tissue as in LASIK surgery – but by adding ultra-thin ring segments to push out the sides of your cornea, shaping your eye so it is round again.

The procedure takes about 10 minutes per eye

  1. A small incision is made on the cornea.
  2. Your doctor separates the inner layers of the cornea to allow for the insertion of the implant.
  3. The implants are carefully and gently placed into the eye to flatten the cornea.
  4. The incision is closed.

After the procedure, you will need someone to drive you home. Some patients report seeing better after the first day; others may need a couple days of rest to maximize healing time. Depending on your degree of keratoconus, you may still need glasses or contact lenses for functional vision.

Does Insurance Cover Intacs®?

Insurance plans vary, but there are some situations in which insurance will cover your Intacs® surgery. We encourage you to ask about your benefit coverage with your insurance provider.

Benefits of Intacs

  • Corrects mild nearsightedness
  • Virtually invisible
  • Comfortable
  • Maintenance-free

location

Serving Our Community

Serving patients in the Inland Empire, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Pomona, Claremont, Loma Linda, Redlands, San Bernardino, Riverside.

Rancho Cucamonga

Inland Eye LASIK
9481 Haven Ave., Suite 200
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Phone: (909) 937-9230