CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Blinking is something we all do automatically. But up to 10,000 people a year lose the ability to blink, causing serious problems that can lead to blindness. Now, a new technology is helping to preserve vision and reverse vision loss.
Most people blink 17 times per minute, which equates to more than 1,000 times per hour and 15,000 times per day, but some people lose the ability to blink.
“NK stands for neurotrophic keratopathy or neurotrophic keratitis, which refers to a condition in which the nerves that provide sensation to the surface of the eye, specifically the cornea, are damaged in some way and don’t function properly,” explains Dr. Daniel Rubenstein, ophthalmologist and oculofacial plastic surgeon at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
NK often occurs after an infection or trauma to the head or neck. Tumors in the brain or base of the skull are also common causes of NK. Not blinking can damage the cornea, causing cloudy or blurred vision. Common treatments include eye drops and surgery to permanently close part of the eyeball to protect it.
“These are all supportive, and none of them really address the underlying problem, which is the nerve damage itself,” Dr. Rubenstein explained.
Now, a team of surgeons at the University of North Carolina Hospital is performing a corneal nerve transplant procedure, in which they take a healthy nerve from the lower leg, located just below the eyebrow, and reconnect it to the damaged cornea.
“These nerves actually regrow into the damaged cornea, replacing the nerves that are no longer functioning,” Dr. Rubenstein said.
It can take patients up to six months to notice improvements in vision and sensation. The healing process is slow but potentially life-changing.
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