08:43 AM PDT on Tuesday, July 18, 2006

By JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News

LASIK surgery has been a boon for people tired of glasses or contacts. But not everyone is a good candidate, especially those with severe near-sightedness. Now there's another option. 

KING

For one local woman, the change went beyond cosmetic. For Karen MacNamme, even thick lenses aren’t strong enough. 

“It's not good enough for me to drive,” said MacNamme.  

Which means she’s stuck, says Seattle Doctor Niraj Patel. 

“She can't wear glasses anymore because at that level of myopia, she's at 20/400,” said Niraj Patel, MD, FACS, Pacific Medical Center.   

Patel is the first doctor in our area to perform a new procedure called Visian ICL. It involves implanting a soft lens made of collagen and polymer. Most patients will end up with 20/40 vision or better. But not Karen. The best she can hope for is enough improvement to wear normal glasses. 

“That's revolutionary for someone like her because it gets her back to work, back to driving back to doing all the things that you and I take for granted,” said Patel. 

Roberta Roshau, who has moderate myopia, will undergo the same procedure. 

“I'm really looking forward to being able to swim without glasses, driving, putting my makeup on - everything,” Roshau. 

Both women have already had one eye corrected, but the latest procedure will be the real test of how well the lenses work together. 

“It's like one-tenth a human hair,” said Patel. 

Similar to cataract surgery, the new lens is inserted through a tiny incision, then unfolds behind the iris. Unlike LASIK, if the patient' s vision changes, the old lens can be taken out and replaced. 

Less than 20 minutes later, the procedure’s over. For Roberta, the results were immediate. 

“It's amazing. I can see everything,” said Roberta. “Just from the moment I woke up.” 

Since Karen’s correction was so extreme, she'll need glasses to bring her vision up to 20/40. But a week after the procedure, she's out for a test drive and is now look forward to going back to work instead of facing the possibility of being disabled. 

This was pretty much the only solution. Karen has now returned to work and is pleased with the results.  

Best candidates for the procedure are between 21 and 45 years old and nearsighted. The cost is $3,800 per eye, which includes all pre- and post-op appointments. It is not yet covered by insurance.