Aging is full of new experiences. Metabolism slows, skin starts to sag, wrinkles appear, and some come to depend on a new essential accessory—reading glasses!

Joking aside, declining vision is a challenge for many past 40. Beginning at birth, the natural lens within the eye gradually begins to thicken and to lose its flexibility, which becomes noticeable with the loss of the ability to focus on near objects.

This loss of near vision, known as presbyopia, is a “frustrating but completely natural condition,” says Hoopes Vision. Eventually, it forces most people to use reading glasses to see print, computer monitors, and phone screens.

Thankfully, there is an easy fix for those losing their near vision and needing reading glasses.

It’s called KAMRA, and it’s life-changing.

What is the KAMRA inlay solution?

The KAMRA inlay treatment is an eye procedure that improves near vision and can free patients from the constant frustrations of reading glasses.

The inlay sits in the clear tissue at the front of the eye—known as the cornea. Smaller and thinner than a contact lens, the KAMRA inlay is a mini-ring with an opening, or pinhole, in the center. The inlay uses this pinhole to focus light coming into the eye. This improves near vision while maintaining distance vision.

As a bonus, the KAMRA inlay only needs to be in one eye, leaving the other untouched. Working together, the eyes allow you to see near to far. This is unlike monovision laser vision correction, which corrects one eye for near and one eye for distance and does not last over time.

What you should expect for the procedure

If you’re anxious about any type of eye surgery, the KAMRA inlay procedure is simple and easy.

From start to finish, the KAMRA inlay procedure will typically take less than 20 minutes. Before the procedure, you’ll receive numbing drops to ensure you are comfortable.

The procedure is virtually painless, and other than some slight pressure when the doctor uses a laser to create a small pocket in the cornea (this lasts only a few seconds), you’ll barely notice anything is happening. Once the pocket is created in the cornea, the inlay is then placed inside, and you’re done!

What you should expect for recovery

Just as the procedure is low impact, recovery is as well.

Once the numbing drops wear off, the eye may feel irritated or scratchy and you may experience excessive teariness or light sensitivity. This is normal, and the doctor will provide medications to help manage these symptoms.

Remember, as with any surgery, healing is a process, and adhering to the doctor’s postoperative instructions will accelerate your recovery.

It’s important to note that the amount and pace of near vision improvement vary by individual. While some see an improvement within the first week to a month, others may require additional time to heal.

Regardless of how long it takes to see dramatic improvement, most patients resume normal activities and return to work within 24 to 48 hours, says Hoopes Vision experts.

It’s typical to experience some fluctuations in vision in the first three to six months after surgery. This is often a sign of the brain adapting to the new vision and will likely stabilize.

Hoopes Vision pioneered the procedure

When it comes to vision specialists, you can’t beat Hoopes Vision. Renowned nationwide for their expertise, Hoopes Vision has been instrumental in developing the KAMRA Inlay procedure.

Deeply involved in the FDA trials for five years, Hoopes was the largest test site for KAMRA in terms of procedures performed, and their test patients’ outcomes were some of the very best. Because of their experience and results during those trials, Hoopes Vision was chosen to be the first commercial implanters of the KAMRA device.

In other words, if this procedure sounds interesting to you, Hoopes Vision is the best place in the country to get it done.