Conductive Keratoplasty

As the human eye ages, it eventually loses its ability to focus on near objects. Older people often find that although they could see perfectly when younger, they now need glasses for reading and other close-up precision activities. This lake of near vision acuity is caused by a lack of flexibility in the eyes' lenses. The lens of the eye must change shape to cope with varying distances of the objects viewed, and as it gets older it stiffens. The muscles that surround it pull it flat to focus on distance objects, but to see near objects, the muscles relax so that the lens can become more spherical. This hardening of the lens is called presbyopia.

To correct vision, several steps can be taken. Glasses are a common option, since they are relatively cheap, and easy to take care of. Contact lenses fit directly on the eye and eliminate cosmetic issues and make it easier for the wearer to participate in high-impact activities. Recently, laser eye surgery has become an attractive option. Although more expensive than the other two methods, surgery such as LASIK or photorefractive keratectomy eliminates the need for wearing any sort of vision corrective device. The advantages in convenience outweigh the high price for many people.

However, LASIK and PRK are cannot be used to treat farsightedness very effectively. This is because treating nearsightedness involves reducing the length of the cornea by cutting it away with a laser. Increasing the length of the cornea is considerably more difficult. Recently conductive keratoplasty has become an attractive solution for people suffering from presbyopia. Instead of removing tissue, conductive keratoplasty uses radio waves to heat the edge of the cornea. As the edge of the cornea heats, it shrinks much like plastic would under similar heat. The shrinkage causes the front of the cornea to bulge outward, bringing near objects into focus.

The procedure is generally painless, with some discomfort experienced in the form of a sensation of pressure on the eye, but this usually goes away within a day.