Lasik for Keratoconus? Is it possible or a suicide?

The answer may sound depressing for patients with Kerataconus disease. However, this time truth is not going to hurt.

Yes, if you have Keratoconus disease in the eye, and if you undergo Lasik eye surgery, it is definitely a suicide. However, thanks to new medical technologies, today a patient with kerataconus do have another option for a better vision, which names: INTACs Corneal Ring Implants.

What is Kerataconus then?

According to National Kerotoconus Foundation, NKCF, “Keratoconus, often abbreviated to "KC", is a non-inflammatory eye condition in which the normally round dome-shaped cornea progressively thins causing a cone-like bulge to develop”
Simply means; the outer transparent layer of the eye, cornea, changes its shape and bows out.

Think it; you over inflamate a baloon and it bows out from one part. In the same time, cornea gets thinner.
This is a non contaminating, hereditary corneal disease. And used to be one of the worst ever.

Since, the eye bowes out, the vision gets worse, up to a certain level, vision can be better with glasses or hard contacts. However, in some cases, the patient can only see after Cornea Transplantation ofter referred in public as eye transplantation.
If patient do have Keratokonus or symptoms of Keratoconus, and if Lasik doctor is not experienced enough and does not specialized over Keratoconus diagnosis, patient may get Lasik treatment, which in the end may damage the eye.

Patients must be very careful about choosing the Lasik clinic. According to Nusret Bas, MD a well-known Lasik Doctor from Istanbul Turkey; patients should look for doctors who are also Keratoconus specialists.

“When I diagnosed Keratoconus or see the symptoms on a patient. I ask him/her…Do you want to hear good news first or bad news?
Giving the bad news to patients living in Istanbul is easier for me when it is compared the ones who travelled miles and miles for getting lasik.
I also do have patients coming from abroad with dreams of leaving glasses for ever. They come to Istanbul to be operated by me from several countries from UK, to Turkmenia, form Dubai to Finland with organization of Blumeditravel and Swedish company Perfektsyn.
Some of these patients, especially who flied overseas to get laser eye surgery, become so depressed when I diagnosed Keratoconus on their eye, and tell them that they can not get lasik.

Some even start to cry when they hear the bad news first. However, after I explained them how they saved their eyes by coming to a clinic that specialized over Keratoconus and Laser eye surgery…and everything about cornea, they feel more happy. And some, feels more happier if they are suitable for intacs or kerarings. Because, we make their vision better and stop their disease.

What is Intacs then?

“Intacs Corneal Implants are A Safe, Flexible Alternative to Laser Surgery”, especially for patients with Keratoconus.
According to intacsforkerotoconus.com , “Intacs corneal implants are an exciting option for individuals experiencing an intolerance to contact lens and are facing a corneal transplant. Intacs corneal implants may be the best possible option to stabilize the cornea, improve vision and potentially defer the need for a corneal transplant.

Intacs corneal implants are indicated for use in the correction of nearsightedness and astigmatism associated with keratoconus where contact lenses and glasses are no longer suitable.

Intacs corneal implants are approved by the FDA for keratoconus under a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE).