Corneal Inlay: A Solution for Presbyopia (Lao Hua)

Want to read menus, price tags and phone messages without reading glasses? It's time to look into corneal inlay

Presbyopia (lau hua) is a natural part of ageing and it starts in your 40s.

The Refractive Surgery Department at Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), a member of the SingHealth group, explains how corneal inlay can be a solution for those with presbyopia, also known as lao hua.

Want to read menus, price tags and phone messages without reading glasses? It's time to look into corneal inlay

Fuzzy vision after forty

Do you find yourself holding the newspaper at arm’s length for a better read?
Do you get a headache when doing close work, such as writing text messages?
Do you remove your glasses to look at your computer screen?

If you’ve answered YES to these questions, welcome to the presbyopia club!

Presbyopia (lau hua) is a natural part of ageing and starts in your 40s. Around this time, the eye’s natural lens is too stiff to focus up close, causing near objects to become blurry.

Corneal inlay may be for you

KAMRA™ corneal inlay for presbyopia offers both good near vision and distance vision, unlike reading glasses, which impair distance vision. With KAMRA™, only one eye needs to be implanted.

This outpatient procedure takes less than 20 minutes; no stitches are required. The corneal inlay looks like a tiny black ring and is smaller than a contact lens. The hole in the centre of the ring restores near vision.

Clearer and better vision

The procedure, using bladeless laser technology, is safe, proven, effective and quick. In addition, the inlay has the potential to be removed and replaced with newer “upgraded” versions, if and when they are available. After the procedure, patients notice an improvement in functional near vision almost immediately, and visual quality for near vision continues to improve over time.

Corneal Inlay