Refractive Indexing: A Revolutionary Approach to Refractive Surgery

Uncorrected refractive error is underappreciated as the leading cause of serious visual disability and remains the second leading cause of blindness in the world. In this interview at AAO 2017, Dr. Scott MacRae discusses a new, minimally invasive, very high-speed femtosecond laser technology that can correct refractive error by changing the refractive index of the cornea, IOLs and contact lenses. The revolutionary approach can be used to treat myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and higher order aberrations, as well as create diffractive bifocals, trifocals and other patterns. Dr. MacRae, who presented his findings during the 2017 Barraquer Lecture, hopes that this technique may serve as a low-cost option for addressing refractive blindness, which could be especially useful in underserved areas.

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