MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF EYES TOO NEARSIGHTED FOR CONVENTIONAL REFRACTIVE SURGERY HAVE DRIVING VISION AFTE R NEW LASIK SURGERY


October 23, 1997


Media Contacts: Sarah Goodwin, 404/727-3366 - sgoodwi@emory.edu
Kathi Ovnic, 404/727-9371 - covnic@emory.edu
http://www.emory.edu/WHSC/





SAN FRANCISCO -- Those folks self-described as "so nearsighted I can't find my glasses in the morning" may finally be able to take advantage of safe and successful refractive surgery that has improved the vision of so many of their less nearsighted peers.



Refractive surgery researchers from Emory Eye Center report at this week's American Academy of Ophthalmology, data from the largest series of eyes to undergo clinical trials applying excimer laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) to the severest ca ses of myopia (nearsightedness).



Lasers currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the refractive surgery known as photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) may be applied only to patients with up to six or seven diopters of myopia. U sing modifed LASIK devices that employ specially designed software would allow eye surgeons to improve the refractive error in patients with 15 or more diopters of myopia, says R. Doyle Stulting, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Ophthalmology at the Emory Univer sity School of Medicine, during today's session "Reshaping the Future: Refractive Surgery 1997."



The team from Emory Vision Correction Center tested the new LASIK procedure in 432 eyes (in 255 patients). Postoperatively, 88 percent of eyes saw 20/40 or better without glasses, 81 percent were within one diopter of complete correction and 93 percent of eyes had legal driving vision without glasses.



"Until now, these patients really have not had a good surgical alternative that was safe and produced acceptable results," Dr. Stulting says. "Results of the new LASIK application aren't perfect, but they are by far the most encouraging to severe myopes."



Working in conjunction with Dr. Stulting on the clinical trial were George O. Waring, M.D., and Keith Thompson, M.D., both of Emory Vision Correction Center and faculty members at Emory's Department of Ophthalmology.




For more general information on The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center, call Health Sciences N ews and Information at 404-727-5686, or send e-mail to hsnews@emory.edu.

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