UK eye surgeons have restored the vision of a 16-year-old boy who was facing blindness after being diagnosed with an eye condition called keratoconus. The condition occurs when the cornea (the eye's clear front layer) becomes cone-shaped as a result of thinning in the layers near the centre of the eye.
The condition is progressive and typically begins during puberty, causing blurred vision, double vision, and even blindness. The severity of the boy's condition was extremely rare for his age.
DLEK laser surgery restored his vision
Surgeons at a UK hospital decided to perform a laser-assisted corneal transplant on one of the boy's eyes, known as Femtosecond Laser Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DLEK), which resulted in full restoration of vision in that eye.
The procedure was carried out using lasers rather than metal blades, which the surgeons say significantly improves graft fit, wound strength, and patients' visual recovery. The grafting technique was inspired by "tongue and groove" floorboards — where the boards fit together like a puzzle — which increased the precision of the graft.
Faster recovery thanks to laser technology
Because the procedure was performed with greater precision and the laser speed was higher compared to blades, the operation could be carried out under local anaesthesia, allowing the boy to be discharged on the same day. He is awaiting full recovery before the operation on his second eye takes place.
Read more about the procedure here.
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