Other Procedures > Corneal Rings

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Epilasik - Contact Lenses - Corneal Rings - PRK

Corneal Rings, also called "intacs" represent another recent development in the realm of vision correction. Corneal rings consist of two small plastic crescents or half circles which are placed, through very small incisions, in between the layers that make up the cornea. They then form an internal "ring" around the cornea. The idea is that the weight of the inserts is just enough to flatten out the curvature of the cornea's surface slightly. This changes the angle of light entering the eye and thus the point at which it focuses on the retinal screen. The procedure is only recommended for very low degrees of myopia (nearsightedness) and does not correct for astigmatism. Corneal rings may be removed at some point if desired, but their effect is generally removed at the same time.

In clinical trials conducted by the FDA, nearly 20% of patients suffered some side effects from corneal ring implants. These effects included problems with glare, halos, blurring and night vision. In some cases mildly nearsighted patients with corneal rings developed some degree of the opposite problem of "hyperopia" or farsightedness. Currently the FDA only recommends the use of corneal ring implants for patients with relatively low levels of nearsightedness.

If you are interested in corneal ring implants or would like to discuss other vision correction options, Dr. Rahmani can personally give you a clear comparison of the procedures, the relative risks and the measured results.