What are the advantages of the Intacs procedure as compared to a corneal transplant?
A corneal transplant is an invasive surgical procedure, requiring the removal of a section of your cornea and having it replaced with donor tissue. Although successful, it is a delicate procedure with typically a long recovery period. The Intacs procedure does not require removal of corneal tissue, but rather works on the principle of reshaping your own cornea from within utilizing special designed corneal inserts that provide structure to a weakened cornea. The recovery period is typically short, with visual improvement noticed almost immediately. In the few cases in which a corneal transplant was performed after an Intacs procedure, there were no complications reported.
