What is Laser Vision Correction?

Do you find yourself squinting at the menu? Holding the newspaper at arm's length in order to read it? Has it become difficult to read the scores on your golf card? You are not alone. Millions of people over age 40 find it difficult to see near without reading glasses. TLC Laser Eye Centers now offers CK (Conductive Keratoplasty), an FDA-approved technology designed to lessen your dependence on reading glasses.

Vision loss and age
When most people enter their forties, their eyes begin losing their ability to easily focus on close objects. This is part of the normal process of aging. Typically this is the result of presbyopia or farsightedness. Many people may require bifocals in their forties, and those who never needed glasses before may require reading glasses.

CK may improve your near vision, allowing you to reduce your dependence on reading glasses. This advancement in vision is a brief, outpatient procedure that uses radiofrequency (RF) energy instead of a laser.

• CK may reduce your need for glasses or contact lenses used to see up close.
  
• You may find, after having CK, that you wear your glasses less or only during certain activities.
  
• CK may even eliminate your need for glasses or contact lenses used to see near.
  

How CK works
CK changes how light is focused on your eye by reshaping the surface of your eye (cornea).

When the shape is changed, light can be refocused on the correct part of your eye (retina). CK uses the controlled release of RF energy to shrink corneal tissue. This reshaping steepens the cornea and allows light to properly focus on the retina again, improving near vision.

CK is performed using a small probe, thinner than a strand of human hair, that releases radiofrequency (RF) energy.

The probe is applied in a circular pattern on the outer cornea to shrink small areas of corneal tissue. This circular shrinkage pattern creates a constrictive band (like the tightening of a belt), increasing the overall curvature of the cornea. The procedure, which takes less than three minutes, is done in-office with only topical anesthesia (eye drops). CK is the first alternative to laser for hyperopia.

Is CK right for you?
CK is for people over age 40 who want to improve their near vision. If you are over the age of 40 and depend on reading glasses, you may be a candidate for CK. Other criteria include:

• No significant changes in your vision for one year
• No chronic eye disorders
• Not pregnant or nursing
• No chronic illness or disease