Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) – Surgery to Correct Presbyopia
If you've had LASIK in your thirties or early forties and are now struggling with reading glasses due to presbyopia, a surgical procedure called NearVision CK may be just the thing for you.
What is NearVision CK?
NearVision CK (the "CK" stands for conductive keratoplasty) is a non-laser surgical procedure that can correct mild degrees of farsightedness and the loss of accommodation and near vision that begins to become bothersome in our forties due to a normal age-related loss of focusing ability called presbyopia.
NearVision uses radio waves (instead of a laser or a surgical blade) to reshape the cornea and bring near vision back into focus. It is performed using a small hand-held probe that has a tip that is thinner than a strand of human hair to deliver radio waves to specific points in the periphery of the cornea.
The radio waves shrink collagen fibers in the peripheral zone of the cornea, creating a constrictive band (like the tightening of a belt) to steepen the curvature of the central cornea, which increases the focusing power of the eye for near vision.
NearVision CK is typically performed only on one eye, creating a monovision effect. This enables the person to see acceptably well both far away and up close without glasses.
The in-office procedure takes less than 5 minutes and requires only topical anesthesia (numbing eye drops).
Study shows NearVision CK is safe, effective after LASIK
NearVision CK was originally developed for farsighted individuals and aging baby boomers who had no need for corrective eyewear until they began to need reading glasses in their forties. But recent research shows the procedure is also safe and effective for individuals who have previously had eye laser surgery to correct their nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism.
95% of post-LASIK patients over age 40 were able to read phonebook-sized print after NearVision CK."Post-LASIK patients who had NearVision CK showed improvements in both their near and intermediate uncorrected visual acuity," says Michael Gordon, M.D. (Gordon, Binder & Weiss Vision Institute; San Diego, CA), one of the study's investigators.
Specific findings of the 3-month study of 60 patients ranging in age from 41 to 63 who had the NearVision CK procedure performed after previously having LASIK surgery (such as conventional LASIK, LASEK or Epi-LASIK) include:
- 95% of the subjects were able to read phonebook-sized print (demonstrating uncorrected visual acuity of approximately 20/30 at a normal reading distance).
- 83% achieved intermediate ("arm's length" vision of 20/32 or better.)
- Over 90% reported being satisfied with their quality of vision and depth perception after the NearVision CK procedure.
Note: This information is for general education purposes only. It is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice from your eye doctor or refractive surgeon.
