Intacts were designed to provide patients with keratoconus with clearer vision. Keratoconus is a condition that causes deterioration of the corneal structure and gradual bulging. The cornea is typically round in shape. Those who have keratoconus tend to have a cone shaped cornea. The cause for the condition is not known and those who suffer with it traditionally wore contact lenses to correct their vision. It causes a decrease in vision over time. While traditional contact lenses were used earlier, intacts are used widely today to correct the vision of those who have keratoconus.
Intacts are corneal implants that are inserted into the cornea to reshape the curvature from cone shaped back to the round shape that is normal. The reshaping greatly improves the nearsightedness that comes with keratoconus. Unlike laser procedures, intacts do not require the removal of any tissue. Patients with these implants do not feel them like they do contact lenses. They require no maintenance and nearly 100 percent of all patients who have intacts have seen a major improvement in overall vision. Many have had their vision restored to 20/20 or better. One benefit of intacts over laser surgery is that this procedure can be redone or completely removed if necessary.
This gives the patient the option of having them replaced or readjusted as needed. In cases where the intacts were removed, most patients were able to have their vision corrected to at least 20/20 after the implants were taken out. Those with keratoconus have a much better chance of receiving near perfect vision with intacts implants as opposed to laser surgery options.
