Ask Dr. Semel
Surgical Procedures
Conductive Keratoplasty
Did you have excellent vision until you needed distance glasses at 30? Did you turn 40 and find that you needed bifocals? If so, you may be among the millions of Americans who have presbyopia. Presbyopia is a natural change in our eyes’ ability to focus. It occurs when the crystalline lens of the eye loses its flexibility, causing objects to appear blurry.
Until recently, only nearsighted patients have had many different procedures available to them that could be used to correct their vision problems, such as LASIK, RK and PRK. Now, one of the first non-laser procedures for presbyopia, CK (Conductive Keratoplasty), has been developed to address the symptoms and problems of older patients.
Conductive Keratoplasty or CK is a safe, non-laser, non-cutting technique approved by the FDA to reduce or eliminate presbyopia for patients over 40. Instead of a scalpel or a laser, CK releases radiofrequency (RF) energy through a probe as thin as a strand of human hair, treating your vision condition without cutting or removing tissue. The controlled release of RF energy in a circular pattern shrinks connective tissue in the cornea to reshape it, improving the way the eye focuses light.
CK was the first FDA-approved method for treating presbyopia. It is safer and less invasive than the LASIK procedure and avoids the complications associated with LASIK treatment such as dry eyes, hazy vision, light sensitivity or poor quality of vision. It takes less than five minutes per eye and uses only a topical anesthetic. Post-operative discomfort is minimal and vision improves almost immediately.
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)
PRK or photorefractive keratectomy is one of the safest and most time-tested laser vision correction procedures available. Before LASIK, PRK was the most common refractive surgery procedure. Like LASIK, it reshapes the cornea to improve vision. PRK is now used mainly for patients with large pupils or thin corneas.
The first step in PRK is to remove the epithelium, a thin layer protecting the cornea. Then the surgeon uses an excimer laser to vaporize a small amount from the top of the cornea. LASIK, by contrast, cuts a deep flap in the cornea using a sharp microkeratome blade. This weakens the cornea, makes it difficult to replace the flap in precisely the right place, and can cause other complications including flap irregularity, epithelial ingrowth and corneal ectasia. PRK avoids these risks.
Studies have shown that 90-95% of patients with a correction of up to -6.00 diopters achieve vision of 20/40 after PRK, and up to 70% achieve 20/20. Patients needing less correction generally achieve better results. The risks of PRK include infection, haze, slow healing, scarring, over- or under-correction of the visual condition, and development of astigmatism.
