Lasik
Lasik is an extremely reliable method that has been used for years in laser eye surgery. The method starts with numbing the eye with anaesthetic eye drops. Then, corneal layer is removed by a special tool which is called microkeratome. This process is called corneal flap creation.
The corneal flap is carefully folded backwards away from the area where the laser will be applied. Laser rays (beams) are sent to the tissue under the removed part with excimer laser.
Lasik is an appropriate method of laser eye surgery to correct myopia and hyperopia. The patient doesn’t feel any pain during the laser vision correction. A patient obtains a good level of vision within 3-5 days.
iLASIK (Intralase LASIK)
Wavefront technology and intralase (bladeless method) are used in iLasik method. This laser eye surgery is performed to correct myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism as well as in the process of corneal ring implantaton and keratoplasty (corneal transplantation).
The cut required for iLASIK is controlled by femtosecond laser beams with the help of a computer system. In the iLASIK method it is possible to create a map of cornea with Wavefront technology. Thus, individualized treatment can be applied in laser eye surgery.
Laser can be used not only to correct vision but also to treat such diseases as: dry eye syndrome, elevated eye pressure (IOP- intraocular pressure), retinal vascular disorders. These applications are usually made in the patient chair at a doctor’s room. The most common of these treatments are:
• IRPL Treatment – For Dry Eye Syndrome
• SLT Treatment – For Elevated Eye Pressure
• YAG Laser
• Argon Laser
LASER EYE SURGERY
No Touch Laser (Trans PRK)
No Touch Laser can be applied to patients who have near and distance vision problems. The procedure starts with applying numbing (anaesthetic) eye drops and the process lasts from 50 seconds to 1 minute. There is no contact with the eyes by surgical instruments during the operation. In addition, the laser eye surgery can be applied to people who had cataract surgery or whose retina is prone to tears. (*upon eye tests being appropriate. ) Finally, laser eye surgery is also possible for patients with thin or steep corneas. (Ps: No Touch Laser procedure is performed without touching the eye, it does not have the characteristics of an eye surgery, so, we do not call this process a ‘surgery’)
The advantages of the No Touch Laser are as follows:
• During the eye laser surgery, there is no sharp tool or device touching the eye.
• The laser vision correction for both eyes is be completed in a single session.
• After the laser vision correction, your eyes will not be covered and you will be discharged with protective glasses.
• It can also be applied to patients with thin corneal structure.
• The laser vision correction is used to treat patients with myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
• There is no removal of any corneal layers.
• The possibility of dry eye syndrome is minimal at the end of the procedure, the reason is that there is no contact with eyes.
• According to corneal topography test results, laser vision correction can also be applied for patients with high refractive errors.
IRPL (Intense Regulated Pulsed Light Therapy)
Intense regulated pulsed light (IRPL) therapy is a relatively new dry eye treatment. It’s particularly effective in treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), the most common cause of chronic dry eye.
IRPL targets all aspects of meibomian gland dysfunction by:
Improving meibomian gland function
Unclogging meibomian glands
Reducing inflammation
Improving tear film quality and stability by restoring the lipid (oil) layer of the tear film
It is also one of the only treatments that can help potentially regenerate meibomian gland structure.
This treatment is both efficient and effective, making it a promising treatment for persistent dry eyes.
SLT (Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty)
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, or SLT, is a form of laser surgery that is used to lower intraocular pressure in glaucoma.
It is used when eye drop medications are not lowering the eye pressure enough or are causing significant side effects. It can also be used as initial treatment in glaucoma. SLT has been in use for more than 25 years in around the world.
YAG Laser
A YAG laser can be used to treat several types of vision problems. Examples include sealing leaking blood vessels, reducing pressure in the eye, replacing the cornea, and removing part of the iris.
The most common procedure is a capsulotomy after cataract surgery. This procedure is used when clouding develops behind the lens placed after cataract removal. The laser creates a small hole behind the lens that light can pass through.
Argon Laser
A YAG laser can be used to treat several types of vision problems. Examples include sealing leaking blood vessels, reducing pressure in the eye, replacing the cornea, and removing part of the iris. The most common procedure is a capsulotomy after cataract surgery. This procedure is used when clouding develops behind the lens placed after cataract removal. The laser creates a small hole behind the lens that light can pass through.
What are the risks of laser eye surgery?
There are risks with any surgery. According to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, complications occur in less than 5 per cent of cases, but make sure your consultant outlines all the risks. Flap complications with LASIK arise in 0-4 per cent of cases, but can usually be corrected with little or no loss of vision. Some people have a problem with dry eyes in the months after surgery and artificial tear supplements may be needed long term. Many patients have experienced glare or halo effects when night driving, particularly just after treatment. This is more likely the higher the correction that has been made, but is rarely severe. In rare cases, excessive thinning of the eye wall can cause the shape of the eye to be unstable after treatment. Severe loss of vision is very unusual, but some patients could require corneal surgery or hard contact lenses to restore vision. You should find out exactly how frequently your surgeon has experienced complications and why.
Who can have laser surgery?
You need to be 21 or over to have laser surgery, with stable vision, so the surgeon knows that your eyes are less likely to change due to growth. Your eyes must be healthy, and the consultant will assess if your cornea is thick enough for the surgery. Some people with high
prescriptions may not be suitable. You need to be in good health too. Ask your consultant for further discussion of whether you are a good candidate for the procedure.
Smart Lens
vision without using glasses, by means of smart intraocular lenses, which is a treatment named according to the type of lens. The most important area of use is cataract disease. In the treatment of cataract, the lens of the eye that has lost its clarity is removed from its capsule and replaced with an artificial lens.
This lens treatment;
It is applied to patients over the age of 40 who do not want to use glasses for near and far vision. It is applied to people with low vision due to cataracts and patients with high eyeglasses at a young age. It is applied to patients with thin corneas whose eyes are not suitable for laser.
THE INTRAOCULAR LENSES
These lenses (intraocular lenses) can be applied to patients with cataracts or patients whose eyes are not suitable for laser treatment and have high eyeglasses. It can be recommended to patients who do not want to wear glasses but are not suitable for laser treatment known as eye scratching, and after a detailed eye examination. But the most important and frequently used area is cataract treatment. The lens that has lost its transparency is removed and the most suitable intraocular lens is attached to the patient, and the operation is completed and the eye regains its vision quality.
TRIFOCAL LENS
Smart lenses trifocal lenses are the most advanced intraocular lens technology in today’s medical community. It increases the patient’s quality of life as it provides the closest clear view to nature for close, medium and long distances.
THE TRIFOCAL TORIC LENS
The toric (astigmatized) intraocular lenses are special lenses that correct the patient’s refractive error during cataract surgery. Astigmatism needs to be corrected in 30% of patients with cataracts and therefore these lenses are needed..
THE MONOFOCAL LENS
Monofocal (single focal) lenses are designed to provide the best vision from a single distance. It only allows us to see far away. Often the intraocular lens is adjusted for distance vision and reading glasses are provided for near vision.
TREATMENT PHASE
In the treatment with intraocular smart lenses, the eyes are anesthetized with eye drops.There is no general anesthesia stun or hospitalization. In the operation, the Smart Lens is attached to the lens socket inside the eye. After the surgery, the eye is bandaged and the patient goes home.
POST TREATMENT
After smart lens surgery, the patient is able to see, remains with an eye patch overnight and a bandage is taken from the eye the next day. The bandages are opened after a day. The smart lens surgery recovery period is 1-3 days. Once the patient gets used to the lenses, patients can return to their normal lives.
ICL
This method is a treatment method applied in hyperopia, hyperopia astigmatism, myopia and myopic astigmatism refractive errors. The difference from laser surgeries is that the application is reversible and can be applied to people with high myopia and hyperopia. It takes about 5 minutes for one eye and the patient does not feel anything as he is under general anesthesia. No need for bandages.
What is SMILE Laser Eye Surgery?
Dougherty Laser Vision is proud to offer the latest in laser vision correction: ReLEx® SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction). SMILE is a one-step, one laser procedure that is less invasive than LASIK. The ReLEx® SMILE procedure utilizes a femtosecond laser to cut an incredibly small incision in the cornea. Your doctor then removes a small piece of corneal tissue (called a lenticule) to permanently change its shape and decrease or eliminate the need for glasses and contacts. Unlike LASIK, a ‘flap’ is not created during this procedure. The lack of a flap makes SMILE ideal for patients who practice contact sports like boxing or martial arts. Because the SMILE incision does not pass through corneal nerves like LASIK or PRK, there is less of a risk of dry eye symptoms.
How does ReLEx smile work?
A Lasik procedure used to involve cutting a flap and folding it back to remove corneal tissue point by point. On the other hand, ReLEx smile eye surgery is minimally invasive and makes laser vision correction possible without the need for a corneal flap.
Just one treatment step:
Relex Smile brings many factors together. The entire laser treatment is performed in a single treatment step. • Gentle, with a shorter treatment time. • No Odour and noise. • Stable, regardless of ambient conditions or corneal properties.
Who is Relex Smile suitable for?
• Minimum age is 18 years old • Short-sightedness of up to – 10 diopters • Long-sightedness of up to +4 diopters • Astigmatism up to 5 diopters • Cornea must not be too thin • No considerable deterioration in a person’s eyesight in the last 12 months • Pregnant patients cannot receive Relex Smile treatment • Relex Smile can not be used to treat cataracts
Advantages of Relex Smile:
• Very safe • Minimal chance of complications during or after surgery • Very gentle on the eye • Very short recovery time • Suitable for patients with severe cases of ametropia • Suitable for patients with dry eyes • Suitable for patients with thin cornea • Short procedure
Cataract surgery
Cataract surgery is essential to preserve vision when a cataract has formed on the lens of the eye. It involves the removal of the existing, cloudy lens which is then replaced with a tiny plastic or silicone intraocular lens.
What is cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery is the lens replacement surgery required when a cataract occurs in the eye. This is when the natural lens has lost its clarity and has become cloudy. The cataract causes blurred vision, loss of contrast and can make driving difficult. Cataracts can occur at any age but are most common in people over 60 years old, due to the natural ageing process of the eye. Cataracts can also be genetic, or caused by other factors such as diabetes or previous eye trauma. If left untreated cataracts normally become larger, obstructing vision more over time, and eventually lead to blindness. Cataract surgery at our central London clinic removes the cloudy lens protein and replaces this with a lens implant which can correct your glasses prescription for distance and near vision.
On the day of surgery
When you’ve arrived at the clinic before surgery, you’ll be given some eye drops to dilate your pupil. A nurse will then discuss aftercare with you so you can be confident in how best to look after your eye following surgery. Then you’ll be given more eye drops, this time a local anaesthetic to minimise pain during the procedure. The surgery typically only takes 10-15 minutes per eye to perform. During the procedure, a small cut is made in the cornea, either using a surgical blade or a femtosecond laser. A hole is made in the capsule bag and the cataract broken up into tiny pieces to remove it. The new intraocular lens is then implanted through ultra-precise keyhole surgery. After surgery, you’ll be able to rest in our relaxation suite for 30-45 minutes.
After cataract surgery
You’ll have your eyes checked a final time before you go home. You’ll also be given some eye drops and instructions about how often to use them and for how long. Your eyes will feel tired and gritty for the remainder of the day, so do stay at home and rest. Your vision will be slightly misty for up to 72 hours after surgery, but you may notice a dramatic improvement in your sight immediately. In the first couple of days post-surgery, you’re likely to experience some or all of the following: Hazy vision; this is because your pupil will remain dilated for up to 48 hours after surgery Sensitivity to light; again this is due to your dilated pupils Haloes around light; this will normally settle before long A gritty sensation, similar to the feeling of having a grain of sand stuck in the eye. You should not feel severe pain A mild ache in your eye Pinkish colouring to your eye, or possibly some bright red localised bruising, which is more likely if you’re taking aspirin or warfarin Your pupil will return to its normal size after about two days and this will dramatically improve your overall vision. Cataract surgery has extremely high success rates. At OCL Vision we have serious complication rates lower than 0.2% and an infection rate of 0% due to our high standards of care and surgery always being performed by a consultant.
