INTACS

About Intacs

For those patients with severe keratoconus, whose vision is no longer correctable with contacts or glasses, there is a revolutionary procedure called Intacs. As keratoconus progresses, many patients find they can’t tolerate contact lenses and don’t achieve clear vision correction with glasses. Before Intacs, the only treatment for keratoconus was a very invasive corneal transplant. Intacs are designed to help strengthen and reshape the cornea, slow the progression of keratoconus, improve vision and help patients to tolerate contact lenses.

Intacs are two tiny pieces of clear polymer, which are inserted into the cornea to reshape the surface of the eye, counteracting the cone-shape developed in the cornea of keratoconus patients. Intacs are designed for long-term vision correction but can be removed and replaced at any time if the prescription changes.

The Procedure

The treatment is done on an outpatient basis, takes approximately 15 minutes and only requires eye drop anesthesia and a mild sedative. The doctor begins the surgery by using a laser to make a tunnel between the outer layers of the cornea. A customized thickness ring is then placed in the tunnel-like space, thereby flattening the cornea. The recovery time is minimal, with patients usually seeing improved vision over the next few weeks. Those with more severe keratoconus may require glasses or contacts after the surgery, but most patients achieve the noticeably clearer vision.

To find out if the Intacs is the right procedure for you, please contact the Nielsen Eye Center. Simply call 617-471-5665. We are proud to serve the Greater Boston communities of Quincy, Weymouth, and Norwell Massachusetts and beyond.