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 distance or driving 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.
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 Horizon Eye Laser Centre in
Manchester. "We expect a lot of demand for this treatment. I think
it will be bigger than laser correction."
