Give Us Three Minutes to Improve Your Vision With Conductive Keratoplasty

It’s Sunday morning. You grab a steaming cup of coffee, sit down in your favorite chair, and cozy up with your favorite blanket and a new novel. 

You open to page one and … not again! You forgot to grab your reading glasses! 

Tired of getting comfortable, only to realize you have to get up and go find your blasted reading glasses? 

A little something called conductive keratoplasty (CK) can ensure you never have to endure this frustrating scenario again. And it’s something that Dr. Michael Ragen offers at Ventura Eye Institute, conveniently located in Camarillo, California.

What is conductive keratoplasty?

CK is a non-laser, refractive eye surgery that can correct minor hyperopia (farsightedness, or when you can see far but not near). Farsightedness makes it difficult to read books and look at other things close to your face, such as a computer or phone screen. 

Minor farsightedness can be particularly frustrating, because you may not want to wear glasses all day when you can see well at a distance. Bifocals are an option but can still be frustrating. 

Enter CK, which reshapes your cornea using low-energy radio waves, and the end result is improved near vision — which means no more forgetting your reading glasses, because you won’t need them! The procedure takes only a few moments, and no eye tissue is removed or damaged.

How does conductive keratoplasty work?

When you undergo CK, Dr. Ragen uses a small, handheld device to apply low-level radio energy to specific spots of your cornea. He essentially outlines a circle with the device, and your eye tissue shrinks up in the spots where the radiofrequency energy was applied. 

This causes the cornea to “draw in” — think of a drawstring — and create a steeper cone shape. The new cone shape alters the way that light rays enter your cornea, improving your near vision.

Your ophthalmologist applies numbing eye drops before the procedure, so you won’t feel any pain. You may experience some eye irritation or sensitivity in the following day or two, but this typically resolves on its own.

Many patients notice an immediate improvement in their vision, but it can take several weeks for the full effects to set in.

Who can get conductive keratoplasty?

To be eligible for CK, you should be over the age of 40, have stable vision (i.e., your prescription has not changed in a year), and be free of any eye diseases. Dr. Ragen can help you determine whether CK is a good fit for you.

To learn more about conductive keratoplasty, or to take a comprehensive eye exam, visit Ventura Eye Institute. Call our Camarillo, California, office at 805-250-9723 or book your appointment online. You can also send a message to the team here on our website.