Intacs: Joyce, 48

August 17, 1999
Web posted at: 11:44 a.m. EDT (1544 GMT)

Name: Joyce

Age: 48

Location: West Hollywood

Procedure: Intacs

Which eyes: She had the rings put into both eyes, but later had the left one removed.

Cost: Joyce was part of the FDA trials for Intacs. She paid $500 per eye and received follow-up care for two years. In order to remain part of the trial, she had to make sure she didn't miss any of the appointments. Because she didn't miss any, she was refunded $250 per eye at the end of two years.

When done: Her right eye was done in March 1997 and the left was done in September of the same year. She had the left ring removed in September 1998.

Why did you do it?

She said she wanted to see distances without assistance. She had worn glasses since she was 26 and wanted to be free of them.

"It was a chance I took," she said. "I wasn't even afraid."

Would you call it successful?

"Yes, it's very successful, the only problem is you lose the other eyesight -- to see close," she said.

Joyce's close vision was perfect before the procedure. She said she could see a television and computer without any problems. But with the rings, she lost that vision. She could see perfectly far away, but seeing up close was difficult and it was "driving her crazy," she said.

She said the doctor tried to adjust the left ring so that it was weaker, to help her read better, but it didn't help enough for her.

Reading and computer work are a big part of her job, so she decided to have the left ring removed.

Now she has one eye that see distances well and one that sees close objects without difficulty.

There was an adjustment period after she had the ring removed. She said it was hard at first to get used to one eye seeing far and one close, but after awhile, she said, her eyes just adjusted.

Before she got used to it, she did consider removing the right ring as well and going back to glasses -- when she was reading and her eyes would refocus and she'd lose her place on the page. But that, she said, is no longer a problem.

She said she hasn't experienced any problems with her left eye after the removal, but also said having a very good doctor was an important part of her success.

What was your vision before the procedure?

She was -1.25 in each eye.

After:

She's now 20/10 with the left ring removed.

Did this procedure meet your expectations?

She said the rings met her expectations to be able to see far, but not for closer vision. The adjustment of only have one ring give her more of the vision she expected.

She said she can't even tell that she ever had the left ring. There is no scarring, pain or change in her vision.

If people don't need to do a lot of reading or look at things close up, she said she thinks the rings would be fine.

Would you do it again?

With the vision she has now she said she would do it again, but stressed the proper doctor is important.

Because she was part of the FDA trial she had to keep up a rigorous appointment schedule. She was going to see the doctor every two or three days after the procedure and then every two to three weeks for two years. She said keeping up with all the appointments "was a hassle."

Any pain?

She said she had no pain during the procedure or following it, although once shortly after the procedure she was cleaning and got something in her eye. It remained irritated for a day, but that happened only once.

How would you describe the experience?

The day of her procedure she was given a sedative to calm down, but she was awake. They washed her eye and covered all around it. It took only five minutes to put in the ring. She said the doctor talked to her through the whole procedure.

What risks were you made aware of ahead of time?

She said she doesn't remember what risks she was told about.

Did you seek out the treatment, or was it suggested to you by a doctor?

Joyce was considering LASIK, but when she found that it can't be reversed, she decided against it. She said her mother had LASIK and it didn't seem to really help her vision at all.

When she saw a public service announcement on television about becoming part of the FDA trial, she called the number. She then went to the doctor's office and was assessed.

She said she likes the Intacs because she can always have them removed.

"At any time I can go back in and have him (the doctor) take the other one off, if I wanted to," she said.

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