Contacts:
Sarah Goodwin

Kathi Ovnic
Holly Korschun
June 1, 1998
ANNUAL RESEARCH FORUM NEWS
FROM EMORY EYE CENTER


CORRECTING NEARSIGHTEDNESS WITH A TRANSPARENT RING

Preliminary results from a Phase III evaluation of a tiny, transparent ring inserted into the cornea -- called an intrastromal corneal ring -- to correct moderate nearsightedness show that the device is very effect and does not require an incision in the central optical zone, the area on the cornea most critical for vision. Emory cornea specialists R. Doyle Stulting and George O. Waring III participated in the six-month study, which found that 75 percent of patients were corrected to 20/20 or better and 97 percent were 20/40 or better. 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.

ADVANCED LASER MAKING LASIK POSSIBLE FOR MORE INDIVIDUALS

An Emory study led by cornea specialists George Waring, M.D., Doyle Stulting, M.D., and Keith Thompson, M.D., confirms that LASIK (laser in situ keratomileusis) performed with the new Nidek excimer laser safely and effectively corrects nearsightedness and astigmatism.

The study found that 81.5 percent of the patients had uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better.

A popular treatment for patients who no longer want to depend on glasses or contacts, LASIK involves creating a protective flap from the outside layer of the cornea and sculpting the middle layer to correct refractive error and improve vision. The outside flap is then repositioned over the sculpted area as a "Band-Aid," allowing for rapid visual recovery, minimal discomfort and the ability to adjust the outcome.

The Nidek laser technology gently sculpts the cornea -- one major difference from the first-generation technology. The new technology uses a scanning laser beam to "paint" the curved surface of the cornea, creating a smoother corneal surface than is possible with other laser systems. It also can benefit individuals with a broader range of nearsightedness and astigmatism that is possible with the first-generation technology. Emory is the only center in the Southeast using the Nidek for LASIK procedures.

ANALYZING THE RISKS OF TREATING GLAUCOMA

Eye Center researchers evaluating the effect of glaucoma and treatment on the cornea found that glaucoma patients who are treated with both medications and surgery have a greater chance of corneal thinning than patients who were not treated at all or treated only with surgery. 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.

THE EFFECTS RK AND LASIK ON CORNEAL SURFACE

A comparison study of a group of patients who had RK (refractive keratectomy) with a group who had LASIK found that both procedures are successful in reducing refractive error. This analysis, led by Emory molecular biologist Bernard McCarey, found that LASIK is more successful in flattening the cornea and leads to a smoother corneal surface.

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