NearVision Conductive Keratoplasty™(CK)
With over 125,000 treatments completed, NearVision ™ CK is the #1 non-laser refractive procedure in the U.S. It is also the only FDA-approved treatment for improving near vision in presbyopic patients. In CK, radio waves are applied to only the outer cornea, resulting in local tissue shrinkage. This produces a relative flattening of the peripheral cornea and thus a central steepening The end result is an increased ability to view near objects and print.
Much like LASIK, CK is an outpatient procedure with only topical anesthetic eye drops applied to reduce any discomfort. The surgeon uses a small probe, which is comparable in thickness to a strand of human hair, to release radio frequency energy. This is done in a circular pattern on the outer cornea only, with the end result being local collagen tissue shrinkage. There are very few complications associated with CK, the most common being mild irritation and light sensitivity for a few days following the procedure. However, since the treated collagen tissue will heal over time, the visual effect will diminish.Hence, CK may need to be repeated after several years.
Although CK received FDA approval for treatment of mild to moderate hyperopia or farsightedness, the most common use today is the reduction of presbyopia so patients can improve their near vision without compromising too much of their distance vision.
