Presbyopia & Near Vision Correction at Spector Eye Care in Connecticut

Presbyopia affects each and every one of us as we enter our 40’s and progresses until we reach the age of approximately age 65. Until about the age of 40, the crystalline lens is soft and flexible permitting it to change its shape and alter its curvature so that it can help focus your vision at various distances-from far, to near, to arms length, to far or near again. This flexibility gives you the ability to see things at all distances.

Around the time we enter our 40’s, the crystalline lens begins to stiffen making it progressively more difficult to change focus and thus to see clearly at all distances. Often, this reduces our ability to see objects clearly at arms length or up close. This gradual loss of flexibility is called Presbyopia or “old eyes’. Presbyopia is a normal and expected consequence of growing older and it affects everyone. Patients beginning Presbyopia will often find their "arms are too short" requiring them to see up close by moving near objects and reading material farther away in order to bring them into focus and see them clearly.

When Presbyopia begins people who have never worn eyeglasses find that they need reading glasses or bifocals in order to read and see up close. People who already wear glasses may need bifocals or trifocals in order to see comfortably up close. Spector Eye Care offers a full range of corrective surgery treatment options for Near Vision and Presbyopia Correction.

LASIK Monovision for Presbyopia & Near Vision Correction

For some patients, Near Vision and Presbyopia may be corrected with LASIK Monovision.  LASIK Monovision is an FDA approved technique that corrects one eye for distance and one eye for near. Using LASIK Monovision addresses the need for two different focal lengths by focusing each eye at a different focal length. People over 40, who require glasses for distance vision – nearsighted or myopic individuals – frequently find that they can read up close quite well without their glasses. Correcting their distance vision to 20/20 almost always means that they will need glasses to be able to read up close. This is because they can no longer focus or adjust their focal length. Typically in LASIK Monovision, the eye that is corrected for distance is the dominant eye and the eye that is corrected for near is the non-dominant eye. If LASIK Monovision is a good choice for correcting your near vision, Dr. Spector and the staff will make that recommendation for you and spend the time necessary to answer your questions.

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CK (Conductive Keratoplasty) for Presbyopia & Near Vision Correction

For some patients, Near Vision CK, known medically as Conductive Keratoplasty, is an excellent way to correct their near vision and presbyopia. Near Vision CK utilizes localized radio-frequency energy to gently reshape the cornea. Near Vision CK is a non-laser procedure and requires no tissue removal and no cutting. Conductive Keratoplasty can significantly improve reading vision in patients who are good candidates for this procedure. At Spector Eye Care we perform Near Vision CK right in the comfort and convenience of our office using the ViewPoint CK System as it is the only FDA-approved technology for presbyopic patients who want to improve their near vision.

How Does Near Vision CK Work?

Near Vision CK is a quick in office procedure that takes about 3-5 minutes using simple eye drops to lightly numb the surface of your eye. By applying radiofrequency (RF) energy, Near Vision CK can change how the eye focuses light by reshaping the cornea to make it steeper. Typically, the controlled RF energy is applied in a circular pattern to shrink the corneal tissue. This pattern is applied in the periphery of your cornea and therefore minimizes any disturbance to your line of sight.

Once the Near Vision CK procedure is complete you will be able to leave the office without wearing a patch and actually resume your normal daily activities the next day. Your vision will usually begin to improve in about a week after your procedure. As with other procedures, the level of improved vision may be temporary and require additional treatments to get the best possible results.

As with any surgical procedure, there is the risk of a nominal amount of surgery-related complications. Some people who have had CK have experienced side effects that have impaired their vision for a few days after the procedure. Although these risks are relatively rare, they should be taken into consideration by anyone considering the Near Vision CK procedure. These include such side effects as discomfort and/or foreign body sensation, glare, haloes, overcorrection, undercorrection and tearing.

About Lens Implants for Presbyopia & Near Vision Correction

Advances in lens replacement surgery and lens implant surgery procedures now allow treatments for the correction of Presbyopia and Near Vision. Near Vision Presbyopia correcting lens implants that correct both distance and near vision can help patients achieve clear distance vision as well restore their normal range of vision without relying on eyeglasses, bifocals or reading glasses. At Spector Eye Care and New Vision Cataract and Laser Center we are able to offer you these multifocal and accommodating lens implants if you are a good candidate to have your near vision and presbyopia corrected with lens replacement surgery. This surgery is quite similar to cataract surgery and will provide suitable candidates with another treatment option. Should you be a good candidate for lens replacement surgery for presbyopia and near vision correction, Dr. Spector and the staff will fully discuss the risks and benefits of this procedure as well as take the time necessary to answer your questions.

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Spector Eye Care and New Vision Cataract & Laser Center provide Presbyopia and Near Vision correction options for those patients seeking treatment of Presbyopia in Connecticut. Our offices in Norwalk and Stamford are conveniently located for patients from Norwalk, Westport, Stamford, Stratford, Greenwich, Darien, Wilton, Weston, Ridgefield, Bridgeport, Danbury, Fairfield, Milford, Trumbull, New Canaan or Shelton Connecticut. To schedule a consultation please call us at 203.853.9900.