有关角膜移植的更多咨讯

对于圆锥角膜患者而言，大约20％的患者将要经历角膜
移植。在美国，角膜捐赠比较普遍，每年大约有4000个
以上的患者接受角膜移植。手术成功率还是很高的，但移植角膜一般只能保持10年。因此，对于一个年轻人来说，可能一生中不得不多次接受角膜移植手术。手术后的恢复时间由于患者个体差异有很大不同，一般要超过一年以上。手术后，为了达到清晰的视力，一般需要近视眼镜和角膜接触镜的辅助。

角膜环比角膜移植有什么优势？

角膜移植是一种侵入式外科手术，需要移除部分角膜并放置移植角膜，经过手术成功，也需要很长的恢复时期。
Intacs角膜环不需要移除角膜，而是利用经过特殊设计的角膜环重塑角膜形态，加强角膜薄弱部分。恢复时间很短，视力提高也非常迅速。
在极少的个案中，有实施角膜环手术后实施角膜移植的病例，没有复杂并发症的报道。 

 Tell me more about corneal transplant surgery.

Of those who suffer from keratoconus, approximately 20% will undergo a corneal transplant. In the US, donor tissue is available in most instances and there are more than 4,000 transplants performed for keratoconus each year. The success rate is high although the grafts only last for about 10 years, therefore a young person may have to undergo several corneal transplants.  The recovery time for the patient varies and can take more than a year. Contact lenses or glasses are typically required after surgery to achieve acceptable vision.

What are the advantages of the Intacs procedure as compared to a corneal transplant?

A corneal transplant is an invasive surgical procedure, requiring the removal of a section of your cornea and having it replaced with donor tissue.  Although successful, it is a delicate procedure with typically a long recovery period.

The Intacs procedure does not require removal of corneal tissue, but rather works on the principal of reshaping your own cornea from within utilizing special designed corneal inserts that provide structure to a weakened cornea.  The recovery period is typically short, with visual improvement noticed almost immediately.

In the few cases in which a corneal transplant was performed after an Intacs procedure, there were no complications reported