On August 15, IntraLase Corp. announced that patients requiring corneal transplant surgery resulting from the recent outbreak of fusarium keratitis eye infection caused by ReNu with MoistureLoc can take advantage of the benefits of corneal transplantation. Four of the top ophthalmic centers in the country will be providing the laser-enabled corneal transplant procedures.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the over 120 patients impacted by the recent outbreak of Fusarium eye infections, 30 percent have required corneal transplants.
"We hope this gesture will not only alleviate some of the out-of-pocket expense associated with corneal transplant surgery, but also provide a sense of security and a rapid return to functional vision," said Robert J. Palmisano, president and CEO of IntraLase.
Corneal transplantation replaces a diseased or scarred cornea with a new one by having the central portion of the cornea surgically removed and replaced with corneal tissue donated through an eye bank. In 2005 more than 48,000 corneal transplants were performed in the United States. (Yahoo)
