Emory was one of only 10 centers in the country approved by the FDA to participate in the Phase III evaluation. The intrastromal ring is inserted into the cornea during a 15-minute surgical procedure under topical anesthetic to reshape the cornea.
Patients are back to their regular activities the next day with little or no discomfort.
A surgeon can remove the ring if eyesight changes with age. It also can benefit individuals with a broader range of nearsightedness and astigmatism that is possible with the first-generation technology. Emory glaucoma specialists Reay Brown and Allen Beck and Henry Edelhauser, director of research, led this study. Corneal thinning can lead to corneal degeneration and the need for corneal transplantation. All Rights Reserved.