NICE consultation on use of Intacs for KC

[Anne Klepacz]

NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) have drawn up draft guidelines on the use of Intacs for KC. There is now a consultation period 27th March to 24th April during which they are inviting people to comment on the guidelines. The feedback will be used when they come to issue the final guidelines. As you probably know, NICE approval means that the procedure would then be likely to be widely available on the NHS. They are particularly interested in comments from people who have had Intacs inserted, as their guidelines are about whether the procedure is safe and works well enough to be made more widely available, but also invite comments from people who have KC and who have had other treatment options.
You can see the draft guidelines by going to http://www.nice.org.uk/ip_391
You can either fill in your comments on that site, alternatively I have been sent a questionnaire which is probably easier to use along with some very useful guidance notes about the sort of feedback they are looking for (these guidance notes don't seem to be on the NICE website). So if you'd like those, please e-mail me on anne@keratoconus-group.org.uk and I can forward these on to you.
I know there are only a few forum users who have had Intacs fitted, but that means your comments are particularly valuable in this consultation process, so I hope you will take part.
Anne[/b]

[Karl R]

Have completed it

[Anne Klepacz]

Many thanks Karl and to the others who have done this. For anyone else, it's not too late yet - the consultation runs till 24th April, so if you've had Intacs fitted, do have your say.

[Stephen Borthwick]

I've replied to the consultation too: thanks to Anne for giving me a prompt. In my opinion the document seems very straightforward and clear. From my perspective as a patient with INTACS in both eyes to correct moderate KC, I agree with everything said except that the opinion that corneal implants are used to delay the need for corneal transplants which would be "an inevitable next step". I think I'd rather live with the moderate condition rather than elect to have transplants, so I don't consider it inevitable, unless the KC gets worse.

If the NICE guidance gives others a better chance to get INTACS then it's a good thing.