Kamra Inlay in Toronto

If you are over the age of 40, you've probably noticed that near objects are beginning to appear out of focus. You may be experiencing a condition called presbyopia. With presbyopia, the natural lens of the eye has lost its flexibility. The lens does not readily change its focus from distance to near. As a result, near objects are blurry. Until recently, reading glasses were the primary option for people with presbyopia. However, many people prefer not to wear reading glasses because they can be inconvenient to use, inaccessible when needed the most, or unappealing for cosmetic reasons.

The answer to improving your reading vision and becoming less dependant on glasses is the Kamra inlay. The Surgeons at the Bochner Eye institute are proud to be one of the first centres in North America to offer patients this revolutionary technology. After over 10 years of research and development, completed clinical trials in Europe and Asia, over 15,000 inlays inserted worldwide, this breakthrough technology has received approval in Canada.

View the Kamra Inlay press release.

The Kamra inlay is actually a very simple device and utilizes an optical principal that has been known for thousands of years but that has only relatively recently been adapted for use in the eye-care field.

The Kamra inlay is a microscopic black ring with a tiny aperture or hole in the centre. It's smaller than a contact lens, lighter than a grain of salt, and virtually invisible when inserted. The small aperture increases the depth of focus to enhance near objects and maintains distance vision. The inlay is inserted beneath a LASIK flap or pocket to enhance reading vision. The procedure is reversible.

Kamra Inlay with a small central opening that helps focus vision for reading.

The Inlay is much smaller and thinner than a contact lens.

"The inlay allows our patients to have a minimally invasive, simple corneal procedure for prebyopia " says Dr Raymond Stein, Medical Director, Bochner Eye Institute. "The corneal inlay can be performed at the same time as the LASIK procedure or in patients that have previously had LASIK or PRK".

The inlay has a diameter of 3.8 mm with a central opening of 1.6 mm and a thickness of 5 microns. This thickness is 1/10th the thickness of a human hair. There are 8,400 high precision, laser etched micro-openings in the opaque part of the disc. These holes help maintain a healthy cornea by allowing glucose, oxygen and other metabolites to pass through.

"Patients that have had other types of eye surgery, whether it be laser vision correction or cataract surgery can now benefit by the Kamra inlay" says Dr Albert Cheskes, Medical Director, Bochner Eye Institute. "The Kamra inlay is a revolutionary device that is so simple in principle but with a dramatic effect in its ability to restore reading vision".

The Kamra inlay is implanted under a LASIK flap once the prescription has been lasered to -0.75. For patients who do not require simultaneous LASIK, the Kamra inlay is placed into an intra-corneal pocket created by the femtosecond laser. The inlay is positioned over the line of sight using a sophisticated alignment system. The Kamra is implanted into one eye only and this is the eye that then enjoys the enhanced near vision. The distance vision remains very good. The procedure is also completely reversible: for anyone who does not like the result, the inlay can be removed.

Kamra Inlay with a small central opening that helps focus vision for reading.

The Inlay is much smaller and thinner than a contact lens.

The KAMRA inlay is an implant designed to reverse the effects of presbyopia and restore near and intermediate vision by using small aperture optics, the same principle used in a pinhole camera.

When inserted in the cornea the dark ring of the Kamra inlay serves to block out unfocused light while the small opening in the centre of the inlay allows focussed light to reach the retina. This means that vision is enhanced at all distances – looking at a movie screen, working on a computer, and also reading text on a cellular phone.

With focused light rays, you can enjoy a wider range of improved vision for all distances – near, far and in between. The small-aperture technology is a superior alternative to options that use a multi-focal approach.

The KAMRA inlay is designed to improve functional near vision and reduce dependency on reading glasses. Although eliminating the need for reading glasses typically occurs, you may occasionally need reading glasses for reading in dim light, or reading very small print. The Kamra inlay offers effortless natural vision, and by having the inlay implanted there are significant advantages over reading glasses or contact lenses.