KAMRA Inlay-Presbyopia Correction

Why is My Near Vision Changing?

As we age, we begin to experience the frustrating effects of blurry near vision. Activities such as reading books, surfing the internet, or doing the daily crossword become a struggle, putting a strain on our eyes.

As a result, many adults begin to depend heavily on reading glasses or contact lenses to see up close and navigate daily activities.  This natural loss of reading vision is called presbyopia (prez-bee-OH-pee-ah), and it eventually affects all of us, even if we have never needed vision correction before.

What Causes Presbyopia?

The eye’s natural lens is normally elastic and flexible; it works like a camera lens to adjust and focus our vision, allowing us to automatically switch our gaze from something near to something far away.  Over time, the lens in your eye begins to stiffen, making it more difficult to bend correctly in order to bring close objects into clear focus. To compensate, you end up moving objects further away to help your eye to focus.

Presbyopia continues to progress over time. Someone who is 45 may only notice it when trying to read tiny print in low light,  however, once they are 50 they may need to use reading glasses many times throughout the day.

Before KAMRA Inlay
BEFORE: When the natural focusing ability of the eye diminishes, near vision becomes blurry.

How the KAMRA® Inlay Helps

The KAMRA inlay treatment is an eye procedure that restores near vision, resulting in freedom from reading glasses and visual strain.  The KAMRA inlay sits in the first few layers of the eye (known as the cornea).  Smaller than contact lenses, the KAMRA inlay is a mini-ring with an opening — or pinhole — in the center.  The inlay uses this pinhole to assist your eye in focusing incoming light.

After KAMARA Inlay
AFTER: With the KAMRA inlay, unfocused light is blocked, making near vision clear.

Patient Testimonial

What To Expect

The Procedure

From start to finish, the KAMRA® inlay procedure generally takes under 20 minutes. Numbing drops are used to ensure you are comfortable throughout the procedure, although you may feel slight pressure while the doctor uses laser technology to create an opening in the cornea- it only lasts a few seconds. The inlay is then placed in this opening. Once the numbing drops wear off, your eyes may feel irritated or scratchy, and you may also experience tearing or light sensitivity. This is normal. Your doctor will provide medications to help you manage these symptoms.

Recovery

Healing is a process that varies from patient to patient, and the amount of improvement and how quickly it occurs varies by individual. While some patients see an improvement within the first week to a month, others will require additional time to heal. Most patients resume normal activities and return to work within 24-48 hours. As with any procedure, adhering to your doctor’s recovery instructions will accelerate progress and recovery.

To enhance your recovery and near vision improvement, you should:

  1. Avoid using reading glasses
  2. Use your medications as prescribed by your doctor, including artificial tears
  3. Keep your follow-up appointments with your doctor

It is normal to experience fluctuations in your vision in the first three to six months after surgery. This is often a sign of dry eyes, or your brain adapting to the new vision. These will likely stabilize. The key to success is to be patient with the recovery process and diligent in following your doctor’s instructions.

This video contains more information about the KAMRA® inlay recovery period:

Keep in mind that some KAMRA patients may still require reading glasses for activities such as reading tiny print or reading in low light. In addition, if the inlay is not centered properly or if the effects are not ideal, your doctor can safely remove the KAMRA inlay.