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A new procedure has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to correct farsightedness. Laser Thermal Keratoplasty (LTK) takes less than three seconds per eye and involves no cutting or removal of corneal eye tissue.

Currently, the only site in the northeastern U.S. that offers LTK is the Weill Cornell Medical Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital at its Laser Vision Correction Center.

According to Sandra Belmont, MD, FACS, the Director of the Weill Cornell Laser Vision Correction Center, and one of the principal investigators for the FDA study, farsightedness, or hyperopia, is the most common refractive error among Americans. There are 60 million farsighted Americans over the age of 40 in the U.S.

During the LTK procedure, two concentric rings of eight simultaneous spots of laser energy are applied to the mid-periphery of the cornea (outside of the optical zone). The collagen shrinks, steeping the cornea.

For further information about the LTK procedure, contact the Laser Vision Correction Center of NewYork Weill Cornell Medical Center at 212 746-2020.