February 01st 2003
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HEALTHALL.REFER.COM - New eye treatment to cast away reading glasses
London, Feb 1 (ANI): A new cheap treatment, called keratoplasty, which reverses the damage caused to the eyes by ageing, could soon bring to an end the use of reading glasses among elderly Britons.
The painless procedure, which lasts just five minutes, uses radio waves to reshape the eye without surgery.
Millions of people need glasses to read as they become long- sighted with advancing age. The condition affects one in four people over the age of 45 and one in three of those over 55. By the age of 60, half of all people need to invest in a pair of reading glasses.
Experts now believe that this latest technique, developed in the United States, offers them an alternative, reports BBC.
According to the researchers, the technique can be used on both eyes to correct long-sight. But it can also be used on just one eye. The best part is that patients can return to work or drive home that day itself.
Studies in the US have shown it significantly improved the sight of nine out of 10 patients and half achieved perfect eyesight.
"This is the first machine of its kind in the UK," said Dr David Allamby, medical director of FOCUS Laser Vision in Manchester. "We expect a lot of demand for this treatment. I think it will be bigger than laser correction."
However, Dr Allamby warned that the improvements are not permanent and that patients may have to undergo treatment again after five years. (ANI)
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