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 Ask
the Doctor about...
LASIK Cataract Care Glaucoma Anatomy of the Eye
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Intacs Technology
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Q. What
are Intacs™?
Q. What are the advantages of Intacs™?
Q. Who is a candidate for Intacs™?
Q. Who is not a candidate for Intacs™?
Q. What are Intacs™ made of?
Q. What is the difference between Intacs™
and other refractive procedures?
Q. How do Intacs™ work? Q. What are Intacs™?
 A.
Intacs™ corneal ring segments are the revolutionary
way to correct mild nearsightedness—without having to
undergo laser surgery. They provide an alternative
to eyeglasses, contact lenses and surgical procedures that
permanently alter the eye by cutting or removing tissue from
the central cornea.
Intacs™ are two tiny half rings.
To get an idea of how small they are, just imagine a contact
lens where the center part has been removed and only the very
outer edge remains; then imagine this ring divided into two
equal halves. That’s how tiny Intacs™ are.
They are made of a special biocompatible plastic that has
been safely used in contact lenses and cataract surgery for
nearly 50 years. When placed in the periphery of the cornea,
they are practically invisible—and they cannot be felt.
Intacs reshape corneal curvature without removing tissue from
the central optical zone, the area of the cornea that is most
critical for clear vision. This subtle reshaping makes nearsighted
corneas flatter, thereby correcting vision.
Intacs™ are the result of nearly a decade of clinical
research and have been available in other countries for several
years.
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Q. What are the advantages of Intacs™?
A. Intacs™ offer several key advantages:
- Intacs™ are a safe
and effective means to correcting mild nearsightedness.
- Intacs™ are FDA-approved,
unlike some laser procedures.
- Intacs™ offer an
immediate improvement in vision.
- Intacs™ provide excellent
results. In U.S. clinical studies, 97% of patients saw 20/40
or better with Intacs™, 74% saw 20/20 or better,
and 53% saw 20/16 or better.
- Intacs™ are maintenance-free.
- Tissue is not removed from the
central optical zone, the region of the cornea most important
for clear vision.
- Intacs™ offer greater
flexibility, because they can be removed or replaced—unlike
laser surgery
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Q. Who is a candidate for Intacs™?
A. Intacs™ are currently available for
people with mild myopia (nearsightedness) who have no more
than 1.00 diopter of astigmatism. The best way to find out
if you are a candidate for Intacs™ is to consult
an eye doctor who is trained to perform the procedure.
You may qualify for Intacs™, if:
- Your prescription for eyeglasses
or contacts is between –1.00 and –3.00 diopters,
with no more than 1.00 diopter of astigmatism. If you don’t
know your current prescription, we can schedule you for
a complimentary examination and consultation;
- You have healthy eyes, free from
disease or injuries;
- You have had stable vision for
at least one year ; and
- You are at least 21 years of
age.
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Q. Who is not a candidate for Intacs™?
A. You should not have Intacs™ placed if:
- You have autoimmune or immunodeficiency
diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or AIDS, for example);
- You are pregnant or nursing;
- You have known conditions of
the eye that may increase the possibility of future problems;
or
- You are taking prescription medications
that may affect corneal healing or your vision.
Be sure to discuss your medical history and
all prescription and over-the-counter medications that you
take with your eye doctor. It is important to advise
your eye doctor if you have had a Herpes infection
in your eyes or if you have insulin-dependent diabetes or
other medical conditions that affect wound healing.
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Q. What are Intacs™
made of?
A. Intacs™ consist of two tiny, clear,
ultra-thin, precision-engineered crescents made of the same
medical polymer (polymethylmetha-crylate, or PMMA) that has
been safely used in eyes for almost 50 years for contact lenses
and the intraocular lenses that cataract patients receive.
Intacs™ are designed for permanent placement in
the eye, but they also are removable.
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Q. What is the difference between
Intacs™ and other refractive procedures?
A. Intacs™ are designed to be placed in
the outer edge of the cornea away from the "central optical
zone." Because nearly all the light that reaches the
retina must pass through the central optical zone, it is the
part of your cornea most important for clear vision. Therefore,
it is essential not to damage the central optical zone. The
procedure for placement of Intacs™ does not cut
or remove tissue from the central optical zone. This makes
the procedure quite different from refractive surgical procedures
that permanently alter the central cornea. Intacs are also
removable and replaceable.
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Q. How do Intacs™ work?
A. Simply, Intacs™ gently change the shape
of your cornea to correct your vision. In the nearsighted
eye, the curve of the cornea is too steep. Light rays entering
the eye are bent too much and are focused in front of the
retina—instead of on it. As a result, things far away
appear blurry. Intacs™ change the shape of the
cornea, allowing the light rays to focus on the retina. But
unlike laser surgery, which reshapes the cornea by removing
tissue from the center, Intacs™ are placed in
the outer edge—leaving the central optical zone intact.
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