Corneal Implants Might Make Reading Glasses Obsolete
Our bionic future is not as far off as we might think. Already we use pacemakers and replacement hips, and eye technology will also improve over time as those technologies have.
The corneal inlay, called KAMRA, is a flexible doughnut-shaped ring that is surgically inserted into the eye and creates a sort of artificial pupil. He is working as a consultant to the company marketing the implant.
The surgical procedure uses a laser to make a small incision in the very front of the cornea, where the ring is placed. The results with a corneal inlay are “immediate”, says Vukich, restoring near vision right away. And there isn’t much down time for patients. He says the procedure is far less complicated and invasive than LASIK.
The KAMRA corneal inlay has been used in Europe since 2011, and is also being used in South America and Asia.
But members of an FDA advisory panel have raised concerns about the safety of the device. At the committee’s meeting in June, the company presented data from a 36-month trial which found that 83 percent of the 478 patients enrolled achieved visual acuity of at least 20/40 or better.
More: Corneal Implants Might Make Reading Glasses Obsolete : Shots - Health News : NPR