Month: March 2021

March 31, 2021March 31, 2021

Is it possible to undergo Cataract surgery after LASIK

In short, answer is yes. In this article we will try to elaborate about Cataract surgery and LASIK, so that you can understand how they are separate and interlinked.

Our eye is an asymmetrical globe having a dimension of about an inch in diameter and is protected by bony socket called the orbit. It is surrounded by muscles for the eye movement. It consist of Conjunctiva(a thin layer of tissue that covers the entire front of your eye, except for the cornea), Cornea (clear transparent front part of the eye and of a dome shape), Sclera(white portion of the eye), Iris(the colored part) and Pupil(the black circular opening in the iris).

Eye lens lies behind the iris and pupil. Light enters through pupil and the lens projects it onto the inside lining of the eye(equipped with special light-sensing cells) called the retina. It converts light into electrical impulses which are carried by your optic nerve to the brain.

What is Lasik?

LASIK(Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) is a type of refractive laser surgery. If you are having any vision defect like nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism or presbyopia, then LASIK is for you. In this surgery, your ophthalmologist uses an excimer laser to change the curvature of your cornea. Once the cornea is reshaped, light rays are focused on the retina properly to form a clear image.

After LASIK, eyeglasses or contact lenses are not required in most of the cases. Before planning for LASIK, Your ophthalmologist will thoroughly examine you by testing you vision problems, measure and map the corneal surface with pupil size. As a LASIK requirement, you should be 18 years or above of age, your cornea should be thick enough that reshaping is possible.

What is Cataract surgery?

Getting Cataract (degenerated lens) is an age related issue and most of the individuals encounter with it, after the age of 55 years. Cataract is basically clouding of your eye lens because of the clumping of proteins and your vision gets worse with time. Changing Eyeglasses and contact lenses are not of much help in Cataract patients as the quality of your vision deteriorates and if surgery is delayed.

Cataracts are leading cause of blindness, worldwide. A cataract isn’t resolvable on its own, or with eye drops, in fact over time it will harden. Cataract surgery is done to remove the cataract from within the eye. Most types of cataract surgery involve replacing the cloudy lens with an artificial transplant called an intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL becomes a permanent part of your eye.

At this point of our article, it is quite clear that both LASIK and Cataract surgeries are done for different reasons and involves different parts of the eye. LASIK is focused just till corneal reshaping for refractive errors while Cataract surgery is aimed to replace the eye lens and get rid of cloudy or foggy vision and achieve sharper vision.

Now in case LASIK is not done prior to cataract surgery, it is easy to correct refractive errors with cataract removal. Your surgeon takes eye measurements pre-surgery to determine which intraocular lens to choose for your eye.

But in case LASIK has already been done, your surgeon needs to do additional calculations to work out the best intraocular correct lens power to give you best visual results. After LASIK your eye measurements changes and Eye doctor has to consider both the pre LASIK and post LASIK measurements.

If you’ve previously had any such laser vision procedure and have since developed a cataract, schedule an appointment with one of our experts to know more about our various Laser assisted corrective and treatment modalities and feel free to contact us at +91-9137462795 or visit our clinic atBandra and Kandivali.

March 25, 2021March 25, 2021

Best eye specialist near you

The market if full of over the counter drugs and we casually use them, which is not right. So, always check with your doctor for any persisting eye symptoms or problem. Before even thinking about treatment, if you follow some good habits, you can even delay your eye doctor visit.

Here are few eye health tips

Protect your eyes all the time, for example wear protective eye gears, while working if you are working with power tools or chemicals because 80% of the eye injuries take place while working in factories.
Wear a hat and sunglasses when you are going outdoors as UV radiations can damage your eyes.
Stick to eating fresh and healthy food. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and quit smoking as it is not good for your blood vessels and may ultimately affect your eyes.
Follow a yearly health check-up routine including your eyes after 40 years of age.

How do I select right eye care specialist for me?

Choosing an eye doctor is one of the important decisions you make in your life. In this post we will give you tips how you can select right doctor for your vision care.

Look for specialisation

Eye care providers are Ophthalmologists, opticians and optometrists.

Ophthalmologists are physicians (MDs) who have specialized in diagnosing and medically or surgically treating diseases of the eyes and visual system.

Opticians are technicians are trained to design, verify and fit eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses, and other devices to correct your eyesight.

An optometrist is an eye care professional who has earned a degree in Optometry. Optometrists examine eyes for both vision and health problems, and correct refractive errors by prescribing glasses and contact lenses. Some optometrists also provide low vision care and vision therapy.

In many cases, both Optometrist and Ophthalmologist may be required to deal with the situation. This arrangement is called co-management. Few specialist are functional to just one particular field also like retina specialist, glaucoma specialist, cornea specialist. So your eye care provider can be selected based on the treatment you are looking for in an area of specialised work he is working for.

Experience of the professional

This is one of the most important aspect while selecting the specialist. Check for how long the eye doctor has been working in the field? what kind of surgeries he has performed? What is the success rate of his procedures?

Credentials of the Ophthalmologist

What kind of institution, your eye doctor has studied from? Is it a reputed one? Has he won any awards or certificates? Is he associated with any board or society in his field? Does he speak in medical conferences about the treatment modalities? Has he published any research papers? Is he enrolled with any fellowships? Is he part of continuing medical education systems?

Accreditation and standardisation of his working hospital

Is the hospital maintaining Patient treatment quality protocols? Is the hospital infrastructure equipped with the latest advances in the field? Is hospital a NABH accreditated institution? You can check for hygiene of the hospital. A good hospital need to have diagnostic measures and operation theatre within the same campus.

Get Referrals

Talk to your family physician for eye doctor as he might be knowing a good professional in his circle of influence. Discuss with your family and friends about the procedure you are looking for, they may share their doctor’s reference. Make a list of the available eye surgeons from the reference and do a little personal research to find the best suit for you.

Look for patient’s testimonials

Now, your work speaks. If a patient is happy with your work, that is the best tip to choose a doctor. Look for reviews of the patient about hospitality of the care providers of the hospital. Is hospital staff responsive to patient’s problems? Do they attend patients in emergency with utmost care? Look for both positive and negative feedback to build an accurate picture of what to expect. Google Reviews is a good place to start.

Communications from the hospital and doctor

How well are they about communicating and good about explaining the treatment procedure to the patient? Look for their follow up program after the patient is discharged from the hospital. Postoperative care means a lot for a successful treatment outcome and communication plays an important role in that. Instructions and post operative medications need to be thoroughly explained to the patient.

Personal care

Even after selecting the doctor, meet your eye doctor in person. See yourself that how much comfortable and confident you are with the doctor. Ask all the questions, you are having about the treatment. Look for the time and answers given by the doctor; are they justifiable. Surgeries are always a team work, check for the team, who is going to operate you. After all it is a matter of your vision, your research is worth enough because a good doctor is the difference between vision and blindness.

If you’re still not sure about the specialist and confused between various hospitals, eye care providers, we can help. It is the doctor’s responsibility to educate patients and give them the knowledge they need to make an independent and well-informed decision regarding their treatment. Book a consultation for a comprehensive assessment of your eyes and a detailed discussion about your various surgery options. Call us at +919137462795 or visit our clinic at Bandra and Kandivali.

March 25, 2021September 9, 2024

Is Laser Eye Surgery Painful?

Laser eye surgery also known as LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis), is a very effective and popular surgery used to correct vision problems whether it is nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), or astigmatism (cylinder power). It is transforming the way that we see the world with a spectacle free vision.

In the past and also now, we have to rely on other corrective measures like wearing prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. These treatments are effective but expensive and cumbersome and in the long run, fragile, and require the wearer to make a number of compromises.

Although lasers have certain limitations like one needs to be older than 18 years. Your medical fitness is required to achieve great results. Your results depend on your refractive error and other factors. People with mild nearsightedness with or without astigmatism ( cylinder power)tend to have the most success with refractive surgery.

How LASIK works?

Laser eye surgery has two forms commercially available. PRK and LASIK; PRK is older version while LASIK was developed later. Basically all the defects in refractive power of eye is due to Corneal shape. In LASIK, The excimer laser emits a cool beam of ultraviolet light of a specific wavelength (typically 193 nanomicrons) to precisely remodulate corneal tissue.

When the surface of the cornea is reshaped in the proper way, it allows light rays to focus properly onto the retina for clear vision. Lasers correct nearsightedness by flattening the cornea and correct farsightedness by making the cornea steeper. Laser eye surgery is so precise that it ensures the corrections are made accurate and in a sterile environment to minimize the infection risk.

For better outcome, Lasers come with eye trackers and helps in proper laser light focusing on the Center of the cornea and the visual axis. Laser surgery procedure itself takes less than 10 minutes per eye, although the laser does its work in less than a minute. It takes about a week to few weeks for complete vision stabilization, although your vision should be relatively normal within a day or two.

Is Getting Laser eye surgery painful?

Pain is such a big concern in patients, when it comes to any form of surgery. When it comes to eyes, our fear amplifies multifolds. Good news is, LASIK eye surgery is not painful. Right before your procedure, your surgeon will place numbing eye drops into both of your eyes. While you may still feel a little bit of pressure during the procedure, you won’t feel any pain.

However, it is important to be aware that some mild discomfort including soreness and a scratchy feeling is to be expected after your LASIK or PRK laser eye surgery. The cornea will then be given time to heal naturally. You may feel some discomfort in the early stages of healing but this will quickly subside.

After the procedure, your eyes may feel itchy, burning sensation or having the sensation like there is something in the eye. A protective shield is given to keep you from rubbing your eyes or accidentally rubbing them.

If you’re experiencing severe pain, you should contact your doctor immediately.

To schedule an appointment with one of our experts or to know more about our various Laser assisted corrective and treatment modalities, feel free to contact us at +91 9137462795or visit our clinic at Bandra and Kandivali.