CK (Conductive Keratoplasty)

What is Conductive Keratoplasty?

Designed for “baby boomers” - patients needing help with reading vision CK is a vision procedure that uses radio frequency (RF) energy instead of a laser to reshape the contours of your eye. By changing the way your cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) directs light to the rest of your eye, CK effectively treats the condition known as hyperopia (commonly called "farsightedness").

How is CK performed?

CK uses the controlled release of radiofrequency (RF) energy, instead of a laser, to reshape the cornea. CK is performed using a small probe, thinner than a strand of human hair, that releases radiofrequency (RF) energy. The probe is applied in a circular pattern on the outer cornea to shrink small areas of corneal tissue. This circular shrinkage pattern creates a constrictive band (like the tightening of a belt), increasing the overall curvature of the cornea. The procedure, which takes less than three minutes, is done in-office with only topical anesthesia (eye drops). CK is performed without the cutting or removal of tissue. It is a safe, minimally invasive procedure for farsightedness.

After CK

Patients usually notice an immediate improvement in their vision after the CK procedure. However, it usually takes several weeks for the eyes to adjust to the final level of treatment.

Most patients will experience mild fluctuation in their vision after surgery, but few notice it. Any fluctuation will usually subside within a few weeks. Patients who are treated for hyperopia, regardless of the procedure, usually require a longer stabilization period than those treated for myopia.

Because CK is minimally invasive and extremely precise, the procedure has exhibited very minimal risk and almost no side effects. During the first 24 to 48 hours after CK, you may experience tearing and some discomfort, including a foreign-object sensation in the eyes. You may also experience initial slight over-correction of your vision, which stabilizes during the following weeks. However, because CK doesn't cut or remove tissue, many of the side effects associated with other vision treatment procedures have not been observed with CK.

*Gordon, Binder and Weiss, 2008