technology | by john hunkler, m.d.
 
Technology
The Eyes Have It

Eye care and vision correction have come a long way since the days when an individual's only option was a new pair of glasses. Doctors are now using breakthrough treatments to address problems such as
farsightedness, age-related macular degeneration
and cataracts.

Many of these advances are happening in Kansas City, where ophthalmologists have performed the clinical trials for almost every eye care development in the last few years. These cutting-edge techniques and products are now being used by ophthalmologists to improve their patients' vision and quality of life. What follows are a few of the most significant.

Laser Thermal Keratoplasty (LTK)
for the treatment of farsightedness
Many of the nation's 77 million farsighted individuals have felt frustration in recent years as they've heard story after story of nearsighted friends discarding their glasses and contacts after LASIK surgery. But a new procedure, performed in an ophthalmologist's clinic, offers new hope to those over the age of 40 who are resorting to bifocals and reading glasses to see up close. LTK uses laser energy to shrink the eye's collagen and reshape the cornea. Most patients can go home within 30 minutes of the procedure and resume their regular activities the next day.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
to halt macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50 in the United States. The "wet" form of the condition is caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels across the retina. These vessels leak fluid and eventually cause scar tissue, which destroys central vision in as few as two or three months. PDT is the newest treatment for this type of macular degeneration. A two-hour visit to the doctor involves a shot in the arm of the drug Visudyneg, which travels to the abnormal vessels in the eye. A specially designed laser light is then aimed into the patient's eye to activate the drug. The procedure stops the growth of abnormal blood vessels and stabilizes vision loss.

Laser cataract surgery with the Dodick Laser PhotoLysis System
Almost everyone develops cataracts as they age. The cloudy or opaque areas on the normally transparent lens of the eye can lead to blurred vision, sensitivity to light and glare, increased nearsightedness or distorted images. The new Dodick System is the first laser system approved by the FDA for the removal of cataracts. During the surgery, a physician makes two tiny incisions - nearly half the size used in traditional cataract surgery. This technique promotes faster healing. The 10-minute procedure removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a new artificial lens, and the patient can return home immediately with no stitches or eye patches.

Kansas City ophthalmology researchers play a key role in the development and testing of new procedures. In fact, the country's largest independent clinical ophthalmology-applied research organization is based in Overland Park, Kan. NovaMed Eyecare Research and Education Institute features more than 110 clinical investigators located at more than 50 sites across 21 states.

Here in Kansas City, studies are being conducted on subjects such as new treatments for high levels of nearsightedness and farsightedness, new drugs for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, evaluations of new lasers for refractive surgery and development of new therapies for multiple eye conditions. This local investment in research means that Kansas City patients are among the first in the nation to benefit from new technologies. There's no need to wear rose-colored glasses when looking at ophthalmologic technology. The future is bright, clear and focused.

Dr. Hunkeler is the founder and medical director of Hunkeler Eye Centers. Phone: 913.642.9111 or visit their website at: www.hunkeler.com