No more glasses! Learn about our Monovision procedure!
If you find yourself holding the paper or your phone at arm’s length to read small type, we have the solution!
In monovision, one eye, usually the dominant one, is focused at distance. The non-dominant eye is focused at near. With both eyes open, the brain automatically picks the image that is best in focus. Our monovision procedure helps eliminate the need for bifocals or reading glasses!
Learn more about Monovision!
Presbyopia – Reading Vision Loss
Recently, you’ve noticed reading vision is slightly out of focus. There is no need to be concerned. Near vision loses some of its crispness once we’re in our 40s as the eye becomes more rigid, loses it’s flexibility. The technical term for this is presbyopia. Watch videos about presbyopia here.
Presbyopia is a natural process that happens to everyone – even after laser vision correction. It can’t be avoided or prevented, but it can be successfully treated.
How does presbyopia affect your eye?
The lens in your eye is stretchy and flexible. To create a sharp image, light rays pass through the lens in a cone shape that converges at a single point on the retina. This point at the tip of the cone is called the focal point. Little muscles surrounding the lens continually bend its shape so you can focus on objects near, far and in-between. With time, lens material stiffens. It can’t bend into the right shapes to make the focal point land on the retina and bring close objects into focus. To compensate, you end up moving objects just the right distance to focus. This is why you start holding reading materials at arm’s length.
When the lens becomes less flexible, the focal point converges behind the retina. The light rays that actually strike the surface of the retina are at a broader point in the cone. They are not concentrated into a single point, so things look blurry. This is presbyopia.
KAMRA Vision – the proven, lasting treatment for presbyopia
Bense Eye Clinic now offers KAMRA Vision to laser correction patients like you. The safe, KAMRA Vision procedure has been perfected over the past decade. You can enjoy effortless, natural vision for years to come.
How it works – The KAMRA Inlay™
Once the KAMRA inlay is implanted, it is virtually invisible.
The KAMRA Inlay™ is a tiny ring with an opening in the center. It rests under the surface of your cornea over the center of your pupil. Its special material allows the eye to breathe naturally.
The KAMRA Inlay™ corrects presbyopia by narrowing the opening that permits light rays to enter your eye. A concentrated column of light rays enters in a very long, skinny cone. The KAMRA Inlay™ repositions your focal point back on the surface of your retina so you again have crisp, sharp vision. Please visit kamra.ca, an excellent source of information on KAMRA procedures.
Before / After KAMRA Inlay™
Learn more about KAMRA Vision™
First, numbing drops will ensure your absolute comfort during the 15 to 20 minute procedure. Second, your eye surgeon will create a microscopic opening on the surface of your cornea and implant the inlay.
What can I expect after the surgery?
You won’t have any stitches or bandages. After receiving the implant, your eye may appear red for a few hours or days. However, this will quickly resolve. During the first 48 hours, you may experience light sensitivity, watery eyes or slight irritation.
Will my eye look different?
The inlay is very discreet. It is significantly smaller than a contact lens and lighter than a grain of salt. Even in blue eyes, it is almost impossible for you or other people to detect.
How long until I notice an improvement?
Your recovery time will vary from a few days to a few weeks or even months. The time it takes to restore everyday near vision depends on your individual healing time.
How long will I need eye drops after the surgery?
Your eye care provider will monitor your recovery and use of eye drops to help with the healing process. In general, you can expect to use the drops for at least three months.
When can I resume normal activities?
Most patients resume normal activities and return to work within 24 hours after the surgery.
Will I still need my reading glasses?
The goal of the inlay is to reduce your dependency on reading glasses. You may still need readers if you are working in dim light, performing a near task for a prolonged period of time or reading tiny print.
How can I achieve the best results?
Avoid your reading glasses! The more you reach for glasses for up-close work, the longer it will take to retrain your brain to use the KAMRA inlay to see near objects. Practice reading without glasses. Your surgeon may provide “tips” on how to retrain your brain to use the KAMRA inlay eye. In the beginning, you may want to practice your exercises by reading materials printed in a larger font size and progress to smaller font sizes. Use artificial tears as prescribed. If you experience blurry or fluctuating vision, you may have an ocular surface condition. It is important to use your eye drops often to ensure your cornea remains healthy.
What are the most common side effects?
Your eye care provider will thoroughly discuss all of the potential side effects with you before surgery. The most common side effects include ocular surface condition, glare, halos and night vision disturbances. These are the same conditions you would experience with LASIK or PRK. Over time, these conditions are expected to resolve or lessen.
Is it normal to experience blurry vision or fluctuations?
Yes, it is very common to experience these symptoms on and off during the first 9 to 12 months. This is often a sign of ocular surface condition, strain or the adaptation process. Use your eye drops and give your eyes frequent breaks.
Is it normal to notice dimness?
Yes, the inlay blocks a small amount of light from entering the eye, so an image in the KAMRA eye may appear duller or darker compared to the non-implant eye. Avoiding closing one eye at a time to “see” the difference will make the “dimness” less noticeable until it resolves.
Is there a risk of losing my eyesight or going blind?
During extensive trials, no patient lost his/her vision or had an irreversible adverse event. However, as with any surgical procedure, results can never be absolutely guaranteed.
KAMRA™ is often combined with iLASIK™ (CLK™ procedure) to provide both excellent near and far vision. If performed after a LASIK procedure in the past, it is called PLK (post-LASIK KAMRA). If KAMRA is performed in an eye with excellent far sight, it is called PEK (Pocket Emmetropic KAMRA). Patients are able to quickly benefit from their new clear vision – often within minutes following treatment.
No more monovision as before. You won’t have any stitches or bandages, only eye drops and follow-up appointments to ensure proper healing. Your period of recovery and improvement will vary. You may see an improvement in your near vision in as little as a few days. Or, it may take longer.