What? Did you read that right? Huh? Well, yes, I, David, got an eye implant. And yes, it is a Kamra inlay. And no, I did not just spell that incorrectly. It actually was the subject line that was spelled incorrectly as I wanted to pull you in and I hope I did. Please do not get mad as I really did have an implant done and it really is based on a camera. Let me explain.
So as I have grown older, now 50, my eyes started to have sight issues, something that happens to most. In my case I was 20/40 in both eyes and I needed to were reading glasses for more up close reading. I even noticed I was moving my cell phone further and further away to see it clearly. Ok, yes, I know, just wear glasses, but why should I when all of it, distance and close up vision, can be corrected? I was totally aware of distance correction with Lasik laser treatment. I know you have heard of that. In fact Brenda had both eyes done back in 2006 and to this day she has 20/15 vision. But it was not until recently that the FDA approved the Kamra eye inlay for close up correction which can not be fixed by Lasik.
Just by chance Brenda was skimming channels one morning and whom did she see but our eye doctor, Dr. Hanuch of Cornerstone Eye Associates! He was being interviewed about this new close up correction that he performs which is the Kamra inlay. She quickly yelled to me and we called him right away! It was new tech and I needed to know if I would be a good fit for it. So we got right in and sure enough, it was a GO!
So what is it? As I mention it’s based on a camera. Yes an actual camera. To be more precise, a pinhole camera. In this case it is being used as the aperture of a camera which affects the amount of light that enters into the eye. Just like on a camera, if you step down the aperture, your focal length changes over a longer distance. Therefore, just by reducing the amount of light that enters my eye, we can correct close up vision by extending the focal length and also by removing some of the scattered light. Cool huh?
But before you can do that, you need to be able to be sure you can have one eye, the dominant eye, in perfect vision. So I needed Lasik for that in my left eye, as I am left eye dominant. So then the non-dominant eye will receive the Kamra inlay and thus have it’s focal length adjusted so I can again see close up. The cool part, the brain puts it all together thus achieving perfect vision, 20/20 to be exact, as I type this!
Like Lasik, a laser is used to produce a “pocket” in your cornea for the Kamra inlay be put into. But of coarse before any of that can be done there’s lots and lots of measurements to be done so you can make sure the pocket is produced perfectly centered in your pupil and thus the inlay will be right in the center of your eye. Seeing it is black, no one will ever see it unless you point it out to them at an angle. Which I do on occasion to gross people out. Actually doesn’t quite gross them out, it actually makes them intrigued. So the pocket is produced, and so is a little cut in the cornea which the doctor then uses to slide the implant into position. In this case Dr.Hanuch, got it within 100 microns of center per the readings taken right after the Kamra inlay was implanted. That is just incredible!
By the way, seeing that the inlay is actually part of the cornea now, I can still have other surgeries if needed in the future including Lasik or cataracts. This is because the implanted Kamra inlay is treated as just part of the cornea.
If I have something negative to say about this, I guess it would have to be the amount of eyedrops you have to put in. Oh my gosh, I never expected so many eyedrops! Well actually, I did, because they told me this upfront. But once I got in the routine it was no big deal. And I’m down to only three a day of a steroid, and some teardrop enhancers as well as artificial tears when I feel I need them.
I also got frustrated I fully admit. You see, me being a type A, A, A+++ personality, as Dr. Hanuch reminded me (LOL), I got frustrated because, to me, my brain wasn’t reacting fast enough to my new implant and was actually causing me to have some in and out of focus issues as it learned. I was told about this before hand and told to expect it. So as the doctor promised, this did subside as the brain learned how to use the new implant and combine my left and right eye for full vision. Today as I write this, one month after surgery, I am 20/20 as of my last visit.
So am I happy with the outcome of both eyes? You bet I am! Also seeing, ha “seeing”, that I am still healing and my brain is still adjusting, it is getting even better. And best of all… I can say I have a camera in my eye! So how’s that for being a techie?! Oh, I kindly please ask, if you see me in person, please try not to stare looking for it. :)
Click the image to the left to see a close up of the Kamra inlay in MY EYE!
If in the Rochester, NY area for some time, I would, and do, highly recommend Dr.Hanuch of Cornerstone Eye Associates for both Lasik and Kamra Inlay. He just happens to be a very respected published authority on laser eye surgery so we could not have been in better hands. If you do stop in, please let them know you found out about them through us. Also…A special thanks and shout out to the whole team that took part in my dual laser eye surgeries!
Well David we all know you’re a Hi Tech kinda guy. And this certainly proves it. Now if you could hook up a compact flash card to your eye camera , you’ could be your own DashCam. just sayn
I can see it now (no pun intended)…the next thing David will have Michael working on in his spare time is Coach Proxy integration with the Kamra Eye!
Very cool stuff!! Glad it worked out well.
I am so glad it worked out well for you guys, and you can now take pictures of what you are eating :-) .
Always be well my friend.
So my eyesight must be off. What’s with the hair net I don’t see any hair?
LOL…Thus the second photo of me being confused. They said it was protocol. Good to have such things I guess for thing like this.