Good news for middle-agers who need reading glasses! The FDA has approved a surgery to fix presbyopia, the inability to focus at close range after the age of 40.
The new device is called the KAMRA Inlay, a first-of-its-kind device which is implanted into the cornea of one eye to assist with reading. The FDA says test results look promising, but this procedure is not for everyone. It’s recommended for peopel who only need help reading small print, not for people who have cataracts, have had cataract surgery, ifyou suffer from chronic dry eyes of otehr inflammation on the surface of the eye. People who have had LASIK surgery might not be good candidates, as the effectiveness of the device was not studied in that group of patients.
This device works by centering a small pinhole opening in front of the pupil. It cuts out the unfocused peripheral light and forces the remaining light rays through the pinhole, enhancing your close-up vision.
The FDA reviewed 3 studies on the KAMRA Inlay. Nearly eighty-five percent of the particiants were able to read newspapers and magazines with a near vision of 20/40.
As this is such a new procedure, it is not widely available.
Keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on this blog for updates!
*More information can be found on www.fda.gov
Written by Bart W., Technician with Milwaukee Eye Care
