Conductive Keratoplasty: A Minimally Invasive Treatment for Farsightedness

If reading a restaurant menu or the text on your mobile device has become difficult, conductive keratoplasty can be a solution for gaining sharper vision. Some patients are born farsighted, while others suffer from presbyopia, or farsightedness resulting from the natural aging process. Our refractive specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Minkovitz, can help by performing conductive keratoplasty at our convenient Wilmington, DE, ophthalmology practice. This minimally invasive procedure can restore your vision using radio waves, so that you can reduce or eliminate your dependence on reading glasses. To learn if conductive keratoplasty is the right procedure for you, contact us today.

Who is a Good Candidate?

Since conductive keratoplasty is a relatively simple and minimally invasive procedure, many patients qualify. You may be a good candidate if you:

• Have mild to moderate hyperopia or presbyopia, making it difficult to focus on close objects 
• Are free from eye disorders or diseases that could compromise the safety of your surgery 
• Have not experienced a change in your glasses prescription for at least one year
• Have good distance vision without the use of glasses or contact lenses
• Are in good general health, without any chronic, life-threatening, or immune-compromising conditions
• Are not pregnant or breastfeeding

During your initial consultation, we will examine your eyes, review your medical history, perform comprehensive diagnostic tests, and discuss your desired results to determine if you are a good candidate for conductive keratoplasty.

The Conductive Keratoplasty Procedure

Conductive keratoplasty uses radio waves to reshape your cornea for improved focus.

We begin the procedure by administering anesthetic eye drops to numb the tissue. Next, we use a special device to keep your eye open while we apply dye in a specific, predesigned pattern to help guide the procedure. We will then use a tiny probe to transmit radio waves in a circular motion for several minutes.

The energy from the radio waves will tighten your corneal tissue and change its shape, resulting in clearer vision.

Risks

Conductive keratoplasty is generally a safe procedure, but as with any surgery, it does carry certain risks. These can include:

• Dry eye
• Visual disturbances such as blurry or double vision, glare, halos, or starbursts
• Under- or over-correction of farsightedness
• Reduced distance vision
• Allergic reaction to anesthesia
• Ocular irritation, which may cause itchiness
• Distorted vision or ability to focus

The best way to minimize the risks of this or any refractive procedure is to select an excellent surgeon.

Since presbyopia is a progressive condition, conductive keratoplasty may not completely or permanently correct it. You may eventually need to begin wearing glasses or contact lenses again as you age. 

Benefits

In addition to sharper vision and a reduced need for reading glasses, conductive keratoplasty can provide a wealth of benefits:

• It is less invasive than procedures such as LASIK or PRK
• It takes only a few minutes to complete, and requires little recovery time, if any
• It can provide substantial improvements in vision, which are virtually instantaneous

Schedule your Consultation

Many patients undergo conductive keratoplasty to sharpen their eyesight, boost their confidence, and simplify their daily routine. Contact our ophthalmology practice today to schedule a consultation.