Wow - I am so glad it is not only I that have a serious aversion to this
rapid uptake of cutting and burning/scaring of corneas. I know a few people
who have had this done and feel that their vision is great. However, the
risks and the longterm effects are far higher than I am prepared to risk.



-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@MIT.EDU [mailto:piclist-bounces@MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of
Russell McMahon
Sent: 05 June 2007 01:09
To: PIC List
Subject: [EE]:: A new way of wrecking (correcting) your eyes

At last - a system which promises to end the practice of butchering =

your eyes by laser surgery in order to correct your eyesight - for the =

short to medium term anyway.

Now there's conductive keratoplasty where they instead butcher your =

eyes with RF.

        http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/inthenews/numbers/0206.shtml

At least with this system they just warp your cornea with focussed RF =

in a number of spots to alter curvature, rather than actually cutting =

it as in laser LASIC "surgery". This is prone to disintegration under =

low atmospheric pressure conditions (thereby saving at least one =

person's life)(but only just) and has unknown long term effects.

Interesting to see that 10% of the people who will pay $US2000+ for it =

do not achieve significantly improved sight.

It would be interesting to see what (if any) effect "blended vision" =

had on stereoscopy and on activities which unconsciously relied on it =

in its previous imperfect form - such as driving a motor vehicle.





            Russell

_____________________

A new treatment, which reverses the damage caused to the eyes by =

ageing, has now become available in this country.

The painless procedure, called conductive keratoplasty (CK), uses =

radio waves to reshape the eye without surgery.

The treatment lasts just five minutes and costs between =A31,000 and =

=A31,500.

Doctors believe it could eclipse laser correction treatment in terms =

of popularity.

Patients are first given anaesthetic drops to numb the eye. Doctors =

then use a tiny probe, which is as fine as human hair, to emit =

tightly-focused radio waves at specific points on the surface of the =

eye around the cornea.

The number of points can range from eight to 32 depending on the =

severity of long-sightedness.

This heat helps to slightly shrink the collagen in the eye. This in =

turn squeezes the cornea and steepens its curvature, correcting sight.

The technique can be used on both eyes to correct long-sight. But it =

can also be used on just one eye. This is particularly useful for =

people who need glasses to read.

They develop what is called "blended vision". They use one eye to read =

and the other to see in the distance.

The procedure is painless and patients can return to work or drive =

home that day. The improvements are almost instant.

The treatment was approved by authorities in the United States and =

European Union last year.

Studies in the US have shown it significantly improved the sight of =

nine out of 10 patients and half achieved perfect eyesight.

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