Leon Rafailov, MD, an oculoplastic surgeon at SightMD who specializes in minimally invasive procedures, has become one of the first physicians in Long Island (N.Y.) to perform a corneal neurotization.
The surgery allows patients who have lost feeling in their corneas due to nerve damage to regain sensation through a small, non-invasive incision.
"I’m thrilled to be one of the first surgeons in Long Island to provide this critically needed surgery. Prior to this, patients with neurotrophic keratopathy had very limited options that were only able to slow the damage to the cornea," Dr. Rafailov said in an Aug. 24 press release. "This surgery can provide curative treatment to the cornea that can sustain the eye for many years."
The procedure can be performed at an ASC, allowing patients to return home the same day.