New Procedure at UNC Restores Eyesight, Sensation for Patients with Rare Eye Condition скачать в хорошем качестве

New Procedure at UNC Restores Eyesight, Sensation for Patients with Rare Eye Condition

For the first time at UNC Hospitals, a surgical team has successfully performed corneal neurotization — the only disease modifying surgical treatment for neurotrophic keratitis (NK), a rare eye condition that causes loss of sensation to the cornea and can lead to permanent vision loss, if left untreated. “It’s a life-changing procedure,” said Matthew Miller, MD, director of the UNC Facial Nerve Center and assistant professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at the UNC School of Medicine. “It not only restores sensation in their eyes, but it can prevent and even reverse vision loss.” This procedure fills an important access gap, as the UNC team is the only one performing the surgery in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. There are just 20 to 30 groups performing corneal neurotization in the United States. What is Neurotrophic Keratitis? The cornea plays a few pivotal roles for the overall health of the eyeball. Much like the windshield system of a car, the cornea helps protect the inner structures of the eye and keeps the surface of the eye clean and moist. When debris lands on the surface or it begins to dry out, the cornea triggers the blink reflex. Blinking helps to moisturize the eye and sweeps off harmful debris and bacteria. The cornea is also a critical component of the optical system of the eye, and its clarity and regularity of its surface are vital to proper visual function. Neurotrophic keratitis, which affects about 5,000 to 10,000 people in the United States, occurs when the nerves innervating the cornea are damaged. The most common causes of NK are trauma to the eye, infectious diseases, brain tumors, and brain surgery. With its nerve supply cut off, the cornea is unable to keep itself moist or maintain a healthy architecture, causing ulceration, scarring, and eventually a permanent loss of vision.