Rebecca Allison
Friday January 31, 2003
The Guardian
Radio wave surgery which can help those with long sight recover normal
vision is to be used in Britain for the first time today.
The technique, conductive keratoplasty (CK), uses radio waves to
reshape the cornea, and offers hope of life without reading glasses for
millions.
Long sight affects 25% of people after the age of 45 and a half of
those over 60.
The procedures will be carried out at the Horizon Laser Eye Centre in
Manchester by medical director, ophthalmic surgeon, David Allamby.
Laser surgery has become a popular option for short-sighted people.
It can also be used to correct long sight, but according to Mr Allamby,
is not as effective in that role.
"Finally we have a technique for those millions of people,
including those who need only reading glasses. It turns the clock back
about 10 years. But it can be done again if necessary," he told the
Times.
The technique, which was developed by US company Refractec, is not
guaranteed to produce 20:20 vision. However, clinical trials have shown
that 92% of patients with low to moderate levels of long sight achieve
near-normal vision after one procedure.
