What Is Conductive Keratoplasty?

Conductive keratoplasty is a vision correction option for people with mild to moderate farsightedness. It’s less invasive than treatments such as laser eye surgery and has lower risks.

Conductive keratoplasty is a minimally invasive option that’s an alternative to laser procedures like LASIK.

It uses radiofrequency energy to correct sight, and it can often be done in an ophthalmology office. It’s generally considered safe, and it carries relatively low risks.

Read on to learn more about conductive keratoplasty.

What is it used for?

Conductive keratoplasty uses radiofrequency energy to shrink the collagen tissue inside the corner of your eye. This can treat mild to moderate farsightedness and presbyopia (difficulty seeing things up close).

It’s typically recommended for people who:

• are at least 40 years old
• have no health issues that affect their eyes
• haven’t had any significant vision changes in the past year
• want to lower or eliminate their need for glasses or contact lenses

How it works

About 2 weeks before, you’ll meet with an eye specialist before your conductive keratoplasty to make sure the procedure is right for you.

They’ll use a tool called a corneal topographer to create a map of the curves of your eye to help them plan your treatment. Additionally, they’ll perform a full eye exam.

It’s often a quick, in-office procedure.

Typically, a healthcare professional will follow these steps :

1. Numbing eye drops will be applied to your eyes.
2. The doctor will imprint a pattern on your cornea with a special rinse-away dye, which will be used as a guide.
3. The doctor will use a handheld probe to apply controlled radio waves to different spots on your cornea. The radio frequency will reshape the curvature of the cornea.
4. Antibiotics will be applied to prevent infection.
5. A soft contact lens may be placed on your eye to lower discomfort.

The procedure is relatively quick and usually painless. Some people report feeling a bit of pressure while the device is delivering heat.

Recovery

You’ll typically rest in a dedicated recovery area for a brief time after your procedure. When you leave, you might need someone else to drive you home.

It’s common for your eyes to feel irritated and painful for about an hour after surgery. You’ll be given moisturizing eye drops for pain and antibiotic eye drops to prevent infection.

In the weeks following your surgery, you’ll be asked to take precautions. For instance, you’ll want to avoid rubbing or pressing on your eye for a week or two. Swimming, hot tubs, and any other activity that gets water directly in your eye should also be avoided for around 2 weeks.

The doctor will give you exact instructions on what to expect during recovery. They’ll also schedule follow-up appointments to make sure your eyes are healing properly.

Cost

Your cost will depend on factors such as your location and the doctor you choose. But conductive surgery is typically considered an elective procedure and isn’t covered by insurance.

Costs typically start at around $1,000 per eye. But costs can vary significantly depending on the doctor and location, so it’s a good idea to get a quote.

Many eye doctors offer financing plans for conductive keratoplasty, so you can speak directly with one about options.

Pros and cons

Conductive keratoplasty can be a useful treatment option for some people with farsightedness . It’s minimally invasive and linked to fewer risks than treatment options such as laser eye surgery .

Additionally, it’s quick with a short recovery time and relatively low cost when compared with some other vision correction options.

But it’s not the right choice for everyone. Like all medical procedures, there are risks involved, including :

• infection
• scarring
• astigmatism
• regression (eyes returning to their previous state)

Is it still used?

Conductive keratoplasty is still available, but some eye care professionals prefer other options for vision correction.

This is largely because conductive keratoplasty isn’t always permanent, and people sometimes experience a return to the vision they had before their procedure.

Alternative and new procedures

Conductive keratoplasty is an option for people with farsightedness, but it’s not the only choice. You can also consider :

• Wavefront-guided LASIK: This is an advanced LASIK option that creates detailed eye mapping for precise vision correction. It’s linked to better results than traditional LASIK.
• LASEK and EpiLasik: In these procedures, a small layer is carefully removed from your cornea before surgical corrections are made. A protective contact lens that acts as a bandage and promotes healing is then placed over your eye.
• Intracorneal inlays: These are implanted in your cornea to correct your vision.
• Refractive lens exchange (RLE): During RLE, surgeons replace your eyes’ natural lenses with artificial lenses.

Questions to ask a doctor

It can be difficult to decide which vision correction procedure is right for your eyes, but a conversation with a doctor can help you decide if conductive keratoplasty is the right choice.

It can be a good idea to ask questions such as:

• Is conductive keratoplasty a good option for me?
• What other treatments could correct my vision?
• Will I still need glasses or contacts after this procedure?
• What are my risks?
• What will my recovery from this procedure be like?

The bottom line

Conductive keratoplasty is a vision correction procedure that can help treat farsightedness. This procedure is mildly invasive and can correct mild to moderate vision difficulties without the use of a laser or cutting.

It’s typically a quick, painless procedure and is linked to very few risks. But it’s not the right choice for everyone, so it’s best to discuss all your vision correction options with an eye doctor.