Conductive Keratoplasty Surgery

Conductive keratoplasty is a procedure that helps those who are aging and have developed mild hyperopia. It’s designed to correct vision in those that need reading glasses and instead of a laser it uses low-energy radio waves to reshape the cornea. These low-energy radio waves are applied to the surface of the cornea in a circular pattern and with a small handheld probe that the surgeon will use.

 

The probe is so small it’s no bigger than a human hair! These radio waves will then cause the connective tissue around it to shrink. When that happens, it will then tighten the cornea to make it steeper, much like how a belt can narrow a waist. Once the cornea has been reshaped this way it will allow light to enter into the eye in different ways and places, and will restore near vision.

 

Unlike laser surgery, conductive keratoplasty doesn’t remove any tissue from the eye. And because there are no incisions made, there are fewer chances of complications such as infection to set in. Those who are a good candidate for conductive keratoplasty are: those who are over the age of 40; have been able to see distances well your entire life but now have trouble reading; and those who can live with slight distance blur.

 

The procedure can be done in an ophthalmologist’s office. First some anesthetic eye drops will be placed into your eye and a speculum will be used to keep your eye open during the entire procedure. The surgeon will then begin the procedure by placing a dye in the eye that can be rinsed away.

 

This dye will apply dots to the eye to indicate where the probe should be placed. Once the low-frequency radio probe has applied the frequency, the procedure is over. It’s painless for the patient, although many have reported that they have felt slight pressure on the eye during the surgery.

 

One of the advantages conductive keratoplasty has over some types of laser eye surgery is that both eyes can be worked on at both times. Also, there is virtually no recovery time needed and the patient is back on their feet right after the procedure. Some patients do need to wear contact lenses for a few days afterward to protect their eye, and eye drops are usually prescribed to reduce the risk of infection and inflammation. The feeling that there’s a piece of dirt or dust trapped in the eye is also very common after conductive keratoplasty surgery.