Submitted by administrator on
A new type of procedure for correcting short-sightedness could be safer than laser eye surgery. The study also shows that patients prefer the new procedure, despite there being little difference between the two in terms of improving vision.
Myopia or short-sightedness is a condition where the eye focuses images in front of the retina instead of directly on it. Myopia affects around a quarter of the population in Western countries and is becoming more common. In recent years, the preferred corrective procedure for people wanting to avoid wearing glasses or contact lenses has been excimer laser refractive surgery, but a new alternative is the insertion of phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs). Both procedures work by changing the path of the light entering the eye and bringing images into focus in the right place. Laser surgery does this by removing parts of the cornea, whereas the new procedure uses a synthetic lens inserted in front of the natural lens.
Until now, there has be no systematic review comparing the accuracy and safety of the two procedures and insertion of phakic IOLs has only been practiced in more severely short-sighted patients. However, the new study suggests the procedure could be more widely used.
Phakic IOL treatment carries a slightly increased risk of cataract, but further investigation of long term adverse effects is needed, according to the researchers.