How much are Ferrara Rings? for the eyes?

Question

anyone know?

Answer 1

The rings and the implant procedure to one eye should cost around $3200 USD.  Procedure to the second should be cheaper, which is around $2800 USD.

Ferrara rings (FR) are intrastromal segments implanted into patient's cornea tissue. FR is composed of two 5mm-diameter semicircular segments with variable thicknesses ranged from 0,150 mm to 0,350 mm. The ring is made of Perspex CQ Acrylic, which is the same material used for more than 20 years in manufacturing intraocular lenses. The ring is perfectly tolerated by the organism and there is no risk of rejection. First FR for keratoconic patient were implanted in 1996. Since then more than 2500 eyes were submitted to this procedure worldwide.

FR are indicated for:

1. Moderate to high myopias

2. High myopic astigmatism, simple or compound

3. Irregular astigmatism: In keratoconus and also after corneal transplants

Ferrara rings are not for KC patients with cone curvature over 75D and central cornea scarring. These patients should look for corneal transplant as an option.

The Ferrara Ring implant is mostly for keratoconic patients of any age with an evolving condition and intolerance to contact lenses or with sharp distortions in the cornea shape, which usually occur after transplants. The main purpose of FR is to reshape the cornea and thus reduce astigmatism, to reinforce and stabilize the cornea and possibly delay or prevent KC from progressing and to improve vision acuity.

The surgery is performed in a surgery room. The anesthesia is topical, by means of anesthetic eye-drops. The procedure is totally painless and lasts about 10 minutes. The utilization of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops provides a more comfortable and safer post surgery. In three days, the patient can be back to his/her normal activities if she/he has necessary vision acuity. Reviews should start the day following the surgery and continue in the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th months and then once a year. Normal symptoms immediately after surgery are pain, teariness, photophobia (aversion to light) and eye redness, "feeling sand in eye", feeling the presence of the rings are normal symptoms after surgery. However, the later occurrence of those symptoms is abnormal and the doctor should be immediately informed. In case of any doubt, contact your surgeon.