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As people age and their eyesight starts to decline, this often spurs many to find solutions that will help to improve their vision. Yet, when the solution of corrective eye surgery is suggested, many people have a big problem with a procedure that would “cut into” their delicate and sensitive eyes. But the technology of the day has provided a number of minimally invasive solutions to vision correction, including conductive keratoplasty (CK) which is even less invasive than laser eye surgery.

CK is a fairly new kind of laser eye surgery in practice today. It utilizes a mild heat that is generated from radio waves. These waves are used to reduce the size of the connective tissues. These tissues are a glue-like collagen, found in the periphery of the cornea and which can cause vision distortions.

During the process of a conductive keratoplasty procedure, the shape of the cornea is changed and is “steepened.” This reshaping results in improved vision for people with a combination of presbyopia and far-sightedness, giving them better vision both in near and distance situations. For those patients who only have presbyopia, they can expect to have their near-vision improved.

CK is not considered to be an appropriate treatment if you are nearsighted, and Lasik eye surgery would be recommended as a better procedure for people who are either nearsighted or have an astigmatism. CK is also currently being studied for its effectiveness with correcting astigmatisms, and while early indications are that it might be effective, it is not yet being widely used to correct that type of vision problem.

When CK was first introduced, there were some problems reported with the stability of the vision corrections and instances where the cornea actually reverted back to it’s original condition before the corrective eye surgery was done. However, in recent years there have been many improvements in laser eye surgery techniques utilized in CK, and clinical studies in more recent years have shown that the procedure is delivering more stable results consistently.

In April of 2002, the FDA of the United States approved conductive keratoplasty for use with patients over the age of 40 who had mild conditions of farsightedness. Later, in 2004, the FDA expanded its approval to include presbyopia, which is a very common condition that typically effects people as they reach middle age. Presbyopia is a natural side-effect of the aging process and it causes the lens of the eye to stiffen, making it more difficult to focus at different distances at the same time.

As a result of these improvements, CK has been gaining a much greater level of acceptance among laser eye surgeons and potential patients are becoming more interested in this procedure. Ultimately, it will still be some years before long-term data on the success or failure of CK will be available, in order to make a comprehensive comparison between this type of corrective eye surgery and other procedures, such as Lasik vision surgery.

As opposed to the Lasik vision surgery approach, the conductive keratoplasty procedure does not require cutting of the surface of the cornea and no instrument of any kind is put into the eye. As a result, with CK there is virtually no chance of infections and other complications are extremely rare. And, since reports about the procedure are indicating a longer lasting effect than when first introduced, it will no doubt become a more common and popular type of corrective eye surgery.

In this day and age of high-tech solutions to just about every situation, it should be no surprise that there is a high-tech solution to vision problems through Lasik laser eye surgery. This procedure has become quite popular and for a number of good reasons. There is a fast recovery time, the vision improvement is virtually immediate and the risk of complications is super low. But, to be sure that the best results are achieved and to further minimize potential problems, there are a few things patients need to do after Lasik eye surgery.

One of the first things that people want to know when they are considering corrective eye surgery is how long it will take, after the surgery, before they are able to return to their normal daily activities. The good news is that recovery from this type of laser eye surgery is quite rapid and within a couple days after the procedure, most people can get back to life as normal, except without the hassle of needing their eyeglasses or their contact lenses.

One thing that needs to be avoided for a few days after Lasik eye surgery is touching or rubbing the eyes and guarding them from any type of poking. In addition, right after the corrective eye surgery is done, most laser eye surgeons also recommend that the patient stay as still as possible, and reclined if at all possible, with their eyes closed.

Once these few hours have passed after surgery, the patient is then able to get back to their routine activities, either at home or at work. Still, rubbing the eyes should be avoided for a few days and if dryness or itchiness occurs, then the patient should used lubricating eye-drops to help alleviate the irritation and to sooth the eyes. Most Lasik eye center facilities will provide the patient with drops for their eyes for this very purpose.

After corrective eye surgery, it is also recommended that patients wear a soft protective eye-mask at night so that the affected eyes are buffered and protected from any inadvertent bumps, scraping or rubbing. This also helps to make sure that no foreign objects enter the eyes during this brief period of recovery from the Lasik vision surgery.

While there is historically very little occurrence of infections with laser eye surgery in general, some laser eye surgeons will prescribe antibiotics as a precaution. If antibiotics, or any other medications, have been prescribed, it is important to take these medications exactly as prescribed by the Lasik eye doctor. Also, most doctors will recommend that you drink plenty of water in order to be sure the eyes are properly hydrated during the healing process.

After Lasik eye surgery patients also should avoid showering, so that soap and water do no inadvertently get into the eyes. Doctors say that a Lasik patient is able to quickly resume normal activities such are reading, watching television and computer work but that they must take care to use artificial tears regularly to keep the repaired eyes moist and lubricated. By following these minimal guidelines, the Lasik patient can quickly enjoy their improved vision.