Dr. Adelson will begin the procedure by inserting a few anesthetic eye drops into your eyes. He will then apply a special tool that resembles a pair of kitchen tongs (speculum) between the eyelids to prop them open and prevent blinking.

In CK, the speculum also serves as a return path (that is, a ground) for the radio frequency produced by the probe. Using a rinse-away dye, Dr. Adelson will imprint a treatment pattern on your cornea, showing where the radio frequency should be applied. Only a few seconds of the treatment are required for each eye (See diagram shown below).

CK is painless, although some patients say they feel a slight pressure on the eye during the procedure. Both eyes can be done during the same visit (if you are being treated for hyperopia), so there is virtually no down time.

  
     
 

CK is painless, although some patients say they feel a slight pressure on the eye during the procedure. Both eyes can be done during the same visit (if you are being treated for hyperopia), so there is virtually no down time. After your procedure, Dr. Adelson will give you a prescription for eye drops that help prevent infection and reduce inflammation. Dr. Adelson may also ask you to wear special bandage contact lenses for a few days to minimize discomfort.

 
The doctor imprints a treatment pattern on the cornea using rinse-away dye. The pattern guides the doctor's treatment.
 
     
 

The Good News....You can leave the doctor's office right after CK, although someone else must drive you home.

You may experience a foreign body sensation when the topical anesthetic wears off (about 20 to 30 minutes after the procedure), similar to the feeling of a piece of dirt or debris in your eye. Although you will be able to function normally, for the first week you may be slightly nearsighted. However, these side effects should clear up quickly. You also may find your eyes are sensitive to bright light. Wearing sunglasses for up to one week is sometimes necessary.

If you wear a pacemaker for regulating your heart or similar electronic equipment, you should not undergo CK because of the possibility that radio frequency waves will interfere with its proper function.

  
     
 
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