{"id":86,"date":"2020-12-01T19:55:12","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T19:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/?p=86"},"modified":"2025-04-15T23:27:53","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T23:27:53","slug":"what-are-intacs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/what-are-intacs\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Intacs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cIntacs\u201d is the brand name of an FDA-approved medical device used to treat keratoconus, a progressive eye condition wherein the cornea bulges outward and droops down, making it impossible for your eyes to focus. To understand Intacs and how they work, let\u2019s look at the condition they treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is keratoconus?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In healthy eyes, the cornea (the transparent outer lens of the eye) is dome-shaped and held in place by fibrous proteins called collagen. Keratoconus is a progressive medical condition that occurs when your eyes don\u2019t have enough protective antioxidants to strengthen the collagen; as the protein fibers weaken, they can\u2019t hold the cornea in place, making them bulge outwards like a cone. Keratoconus makes it impossible for you to focus without glasses or contact lenses; people with progressive keratoconus may need a corneal transplant or Intacs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/iStock-1273459092-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of eye\" class=\"wp-image-87 center pt-30 pb-30\" width=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/iStock-1273459092-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/iStock-1273459092-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/iStock-1273459092-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/iStock-1273459092-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/iStock-1273459092-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no scientific consensus on the true root cause of keratoconus. However, the following are potential risk factors for the eye condition:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Patients with a family history of keratoconus are more likely to suffer from the condition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It usually shows up in one\u2019s early childhood<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Down syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, and other systemic conditions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inflammation from underlying eye diseases or allergies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Constantly rubbing your eyes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Black and brown individuals are more likely to get keratoconus<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are Intacs?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Intacs are medical devices approved by the FDA as a suitable alternative to corneal transplant, which, until recently, was considered the standard treatment for keratoconus. Intacs are small and transparent plastic arcs inserted within the cornea of patients with keratoconus. Once in place, the arcs apply gentle pressure over the cornea to flatten them and bring them closer to their original dome shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Intacs procedure is extremely simple and conducted on an outpatient basis. Before the surgery, the doctor provides anesthetic eye drops to numb your eyes and ensure a painless experience. During the treatment, the doctor creates a small tunnel in your eyes to insert the Intacs, choosing the appropriate thickness for your specific needs. The entire procedure concludes within 15 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the procedure, you can have someone drive you back home. Your vision will seem significantly sharper a few hours after the treatment, but you should relax and rest your eyes for a few days to ensure optimal recovery. Intacs are placed beneath the cornea\u2019s nerve endings, so you won\u2019t feel any pain, discomfort, or sensation\u2014you won\u2019t feel them at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s worth noting that Intacs aren\u2019t an alternative to glasses or contact lenses. Patients are given Intacs when keratoconus has progressed enough to make glasses and contact lenses ineffective. Once you receive the Intacs, you can resume wearing contact lenses and glasses to restore your vision. The Intacs will flatten the cornea, but they won\u2019t stop the keratoconus progression altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cases, the optometrist may combine Intacs with a procedure called corneal cross-linking for better results. Please contact us to discuss your treatment options with our office.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cIntacs\u201d is the brand name of an FDA-approved medical device used to treat keratoconus, a progressive eye condition wherein the cornea bulges outward and droops down, making it impossible for your eyes to focus. To understand Intacs and how they work, let\u2019s look at the condition they treat. What is keratoconus? In healthy eyes, the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificvision.org\/blog\/what-are-intacs\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What are Intacs?<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What are Intacs? - Pacific Vision Institute Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how Intacs\u2014small corneal implants\u2014are used to treat keratoconus and other progressive eye conditions. 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