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Conductive KeratoplastyIf your answer is “yes,” please know that there are millions and millions of your fellow Americans out there in the same boat. If dependence on reading glasses is truly a frustration to you, then Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) might be a good alternative for you to consider. CK is the first FDA approved procedure for the treatment of presbyopia, the natural change in the eyes that requires us to wear reading glasses (see “I Never Needed Glasses Before, Why Now?”
below). The Big 3 CK QuestionsCK has a highly targeted audience. To quickly find out if you are a potential member of that audience, please take a moment to answer these three questions:
If you can answer each of those questions with an emphatic, unequivocal “YES,” then CK might be for you. I Never Needed Glasses Before, Why Now?
It happens because of a natural change in the lens of the eye. It simply loses its focusing “flexibility.” It can still provide the needed focusing
power for distance vision, but can no longer provide the additional focusing power needed for up close vision. The fancy term for that natural phenomenon is presbyopia. The CK Target
The CK Goal: Blended VisionThe goal of CK is to create what is known as blended vision. The ideal CK candidate has wonderful distance vision but poor close vision. The concept of blended vision is to improve close vision but without sacrificing distance vision…to blend the two so that the individual can perform most distance and close visual tasks without needing reading glasses. Because the ideal CK candidate already has great distance vision, CK is usually only needed in one eye. Just as we are right or left handed we also have a right or left dominant eye. With CK we leave the dominant eye alone to maintain that good distance vision, and perform CK on the nondominant eye to improve the close vision. The goal of blended vision is to be able to do MOST visual tasks under MOST circumstances, but not ALL visual tasks under ALL circumstances. How CK Works
Radio frequency technology is one of today’s most advanced medical therapies. In addition to its use in CK
, RF technology is being used in prostate cancer therapy, back surgery, and cardiovascular procedures. The CK Procedure
Then, lying down, you will be asked to look at the microscope light. Your eye will be marked with a series of dots. Your surgeon will touch the dots with the probe, making a full circle around the outer margins of the cornea. There will be 8 to 24 treatment points, depending on the amount of correction needed. As the dots are touched, heat from the radio waves shrinks the tissue, producing a constricting effect that creates a more curved cornea. Soon after the procedure, your eyes will be examined and you will go home and relax for the rest of
the day. For the first couple of days, you may experience some scratchiness in your eyes or excessive watering. This rapidly improves and medications can be taken to relieve any discomfort. Normal
activities are generally resumed within a day or two. While many patients see improvement in their near vision immediately after the procedure, it usually takes a few weeks to several months for the
results to be fully realized. As with other vision correction procedures, you may experience some discomfort and light sensitivity (glare or haloes) for a few days following CK. CK Patient Profile
Your total eligibility for CK would be determined by a series of eye tests and a thorough eye exam. Realistic ExpectationsThe decision to have CK is an important one that only you can make. The goal of any refractive procedure is to reduce your dependence on corrective lenses. However, we cannot guarantee you will have the results you desire. Serious complications with CK are extremely rare. CK is a safe and effective procedure but, like any
medical procedure, it does have some risks. After a thorough eye exam, you and your doctor will determine if CK is an option for you. If you are a good candidate, you will be given additional
information about the procedure that will allow you to make an informed decision about whether to proceed. Be sure you have all your questions answered to your satisfaction. CK Highlights
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Millions of people are blessed to be born with “perfect” eyes. They can
see very well both far away and up close without needing eyeglasses or contact lenses. Then, starting around the age of 40, they notice that their distance vision is still good, but all of a sudden they are struggling with
their up close vision. They start to hold reading material further away in an effort to see. Then one day “their arms are too short” and they must go to reading glasses. Why does this happen? 
Today’s CK is targeted for the people who have had great distance AND close
vision all their life without eyeglasses or contact lenses, but now find themselves dependent on reading glasses for close vision. Some examples: the golfer who can see his golf ball just fine but can’t see his
scorecard without reading glasses to record his score, the cook who can watch the cooking channel on TV across the kitchen but can’t read her recipes without reading glasses, or the traveler who can drive a thousand
miles in all kinds of weather but can’t read a map without reading glasses.
CK is a new FDA approved procedure that uses radio
frequency (RF) energy to gently reshape the front portion of the eye known as the cornea. CK does not use any blades or lasers. The physician uses a small probe, thinner than a strand of
human hair, which releases RF energy. The probe is applied in a circular pattern on the outer cornea to shrink small areas of corneal tissue. This circular pattern creates a constrictive band
(like tightening a belt) increasing the overall curvature of the center of the cornea giving it more focusing power for better close vision.
CK is performed in our office. First, your eye will be completely
numbed with powerful eye drop anesthesia. When your eye is completely numb, an eyelid holder will be placed between your eyelids to keep you from blinking during the procedure.