Have you always had great distance vision without correction most of your life? Are you over the age of 45? Are you tired of your reading glasses?
If you answered yes to all three of these questions, you are a potential candidate for NearVision Conductive Keratoplasty (CK).
CK is a FDA-approved procedure to correct the effects of presbyopia.
Presbyopia is a reduction in the focusing power of the eye with age. The lens in the eye is responsible for accommodation (focusing). With age, the lens hardens, thereby decreasing its ability to change shape and allow us to focus on near objects. As a result, our clarity of vision at near distances decreases and generally starts to manifest around the age of 40.
Near Vision CK is a safe, minimally invasive procedure since it requires no cutting or removal of tissue. It is a fast (3 minutes), easy procedure that is performed in the doctor’s office with only topical anesthesia. CK is performed using a probe thinner than a strand of hair that releases radio waves, shrinking small areas of collagen to increase the curvature of the cornea, therefore allowing near vision clarity without the use of reading glasses. Near vision will be noticeably improved just minutes after the procedure and will continue to improve following surgery.
Near Vision CK results in a monovision correction, meaning only one eye is treated for near while the dominant eye is left untreated and is used for distance vision. It is common to use a contact lens temporarily to simulate the monovision effect. A contact lens is placed on the eye that is going to be treated for 1–2 days to ensure that a patient will be able to adapt to the disparity between the two eyes. It is important to demonstrate this effect since a reduction in depth perception may occur because the eyes will not be focused together at the same distance.
Although CK is very safe and effective, there are symptoms that can be expected after the procedure. Patients may experience mild to moderate burning, watering, and irritation for 2–3 days. Glare or halos, especially when driving at night, may result for about 1 month. Your vision may also look a little “smeary” (like dirty glasses) for about 1 month. These symptoms are normal after NearVision CK and will subside with time.
In conclusion, if your distance vision is great but you are having difficulty reading newspapers, magazines, books, menus, golf score cards, cell phone displays, prescription labels, etc., and you are tired of your reading glasses or contact lenses, NearVision CK is the alternative you have been waiting for.
Dr. Ryan Miller, O.D. is with LoBue Laser Eye Center in Murrieta. He may be reached at (951) 696-1135.