Questions About Conductive Keratoplasty-CK
Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Olympia, and Tacoma, Washington
What is conductive keratoplasty, or CK?
CK, or conductive keratoplasty is a type of refractive eye surgery that is used specifically to correct farsightedness and presbyopia. It is sometimes called Near Vision CK.
How is CK different from LASIK?
In the CK procedure Bellevue LASIK & Cornea ophthalmologist, Dr. Kent Leavitt applies radio waves to correct refractive errors. In contrast, LASIK uses laser technology to correct these. LASIK can also treat nearsightedness, astigmatism and keratoconus in addition to farsightedness and presbyopia. Dr. Leavitt will do an evaluation and necessary diagnostics to determine whether CK or LASIK would give you better results.
How does CK work?
The CK procedure is intended to reduce farsightedness, and increase near vision by increasing the arch or dome shape of the cornea. Treatment for presbyopia creates near vision in only one eye, usually the non-dominant eye.
Radio waves are directed to strategically calculated spots around the periphery of the cornea. The corneal tissue targeted by the radio waves shrinks, tightening the outer edge of the cornea. The central cornea bulges into an arch that now refracts light creating more accurate focusing in the near vision range.
Bellevue LASIK & Cornea ophthalmologists Kent Leavitt, M.D. and Christine Farag, O.D. use a technique called monovision to correct the refractive error caused by presbyopia. Leaving one eye with good distance vision, CK is used to increase near vision in the other eye.
Patients are prepared for this change in focusing by wearing a contact lens that approximates the vision planned for non-dominant eye. It may take a couple weeks to adapt and loss of depth perception that accompanies monovision, but most people adjust with little difficulty. Those who cannot adjust to the contact lens trial have other options to correct presbyopia, such as a lens exchange.
Is CK painful or dangerous?
No, but you might feel some pressure during surgery. Reports show there are fewer complications with CK than with other refractive error correction procedures. Occasionally astigmatism is induced by CK, but this usually resolves naturally without further treatment.
Also, overcorrections will reverse in time because CK is not a permanent treatment. Over time new corneal tissue growth will replace the shrunken tissue, so your vision will return to its natural state within a few years.
Are CK surgery and recovery difficult?
No. CK surgery takes only about 15 minutes per eye, with only about 3 minutes of the procedure being the actual application of the radio waves. CK is done on an outpatient basis, so you can go home the same day.
CK patients may experience some visual fluctuations for the first two weeks after surgery. Vision the day after surgery is often described as “fuzzy-functional.” Some people experience light sensitivity for the first week. Despite this you can expect to return to work the next day, and be able to drive within a week.
If you are considering refractive eye surgery in the Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Olympia, and Tacoma, Washington areas and would like to learn about CK, please contact Bellevue LASIK & Cornea for a complimentary evaluation by one of this area’s most experienced ophthalmologists.