Radio frequency conductive keratoplasty in the cornea: prediction of diopter changes in numerical models

Correction of hyperopia (far-sightedness) requires increasing the curvature of the cornea. Radio frequency (RF) current is presently being used to shrink corneal collagen at peripheral points and achieve the required correction in a procedure named "conductive keratoplasty". Finite difference method numerical models of the electric and current density fields, thermal fields, and resulting damage and collagen shrinkage fields have been created and used to study and quantify the effects of uncertainties in applied voltage and tissue impedance on results obtained from this process.