Eye Care Service

NOW NO MORE TOSSING ON THE TOUGHT OF GETTING RID OF YOUR SPECTACLES

Though in the past, people were quite hesitant in getting lasers done for removal of spectacles but, with the advent of high technology Lasik Laser, getting rid of spectacles is no more a hitch in the minds of the people. People have accepted this technology more benevolently and have realized that it is no more a tag associated with cosmetic surgery only but is worth using for other eye conditions as well.

ABOUT LASIK LASER AND ITS BENEFITS

Lasik laser is a surgical procedure that uses a beam of light to reshape the cornea of the eye for vision correction. It has been instrumental in curing Myopia (nearsightedness), Hyperopia (Farsightedness) and Astigmatism. Moreover, it can also reduce “halos,” “starbursts” and “ghost images,” which may drastically improve your night vision.

In standard LASIK, the surgeon uses a hand-held oscillating blade called microkeratome to make a thin, hinged flap which is lifted temporarily from the eye’s surface or cornea and the laser treats the cornea to correct the refractive error.

GO BLADE FREE

Blade free Lasik is more technology driven and has eliminated various human errors. It has replaced mechanical cutting tool, microkeratome (used for creation of the flap) with laser thereby adding more benefits for both the patient and the surgeon. It has resulted in improved visual outcome and post operative comfort for the patient. It can treat patients with high refractive errors and thin corneas too.

CATARACT-THE MAIN CAUSE OF BLINDNESS IN THE WORLD

The very fact that, cataract contributes to more than 50% of the blindness all over the world, and it can be treated completely, is not known to most of the population. This is mostly an ageing condition but can rarely occur in younger people (due to injury, metabolic disorder, prolonged use of drug or lifestyle disorders) or babies (heredity) as well.

ABOUT CATARACT

Cataract is the clouding of the natural crystalline lens which helps in focussing images in the eye. The lens becomes opaque resulting in diminution of vision, growing sensitivity to glare, double vision or sudden change in the spectacle number.

Cataract can be treated completely through surgery, in which the natural crystalline lens is emulsified with the help of an ultrasonic probe and a foldable Intraocular Lens is implanted in the eye. Regular advancements in the technology have resulted in quicker recovery post-operatively making it a walk-in, walk-out, day care surgery.

The advanced technology of phacoemulsification and Micro Incision cataract surgery (MICS) has helped in reducing the incision size during the surgery to 2mm as compared to conventional cataract surgeries where the incision size ranged from 10-12mm. Since, the smaller incision does not require any stitch; it has helped in quicker recovery for the patient after surgery.

GLAUCOMA-THE SILENT VISION SNATCHER

Do you know, nearly 12 million people are affected and have turned blind with glaucoma in our country? Unlike cataract, which is a treatable eye condition, Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.

Glaucoma (also called kala motia), is one of those silent and incurable diseases of the eye that damages the optic nerve of the eye, by increasing the intraocular pressure, leading to complete vision loss or blindness. Hence, the only key to preserve one’s vision is early detection through regular eye checkups and relevant investigations.

If you have increased eye pressure, have family history of glaucoma, thin cornea or optic nerve, have prolonged history of using steroids, suffering from farsightedness or nearsightedness or other health problems like diabetes, migraine or low blood pressure, then you could be at the risk of having glaucoma. Recently, many advances have been made for proper management of glaucoma. And since, this disease cannot be cured but can be controlled; more stress is laid on its early detection through advancements made in investigating technology for glaucoma. These investigations include that of Eye pressure testing with tonometer, optic disc examination, checking the angle of the glaucoma, field charting of the eye, optic disc photography, measuring the central corneal thickness and retinal nerve fibre thickness.

Since, glaucoma is primarily caused due to increase in eye pressure, various treatment options can also be explored for lowering the eye pressure. These could be treatment through medicines, surgery or Lasers which your doctor can suggest that is most suited for your condition.

IS YOUR CHILD UNABLE TO LOOK IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH BOTH THE EYES?-IT COULD BE SQUINT

Squint (also known as strabismus) is a condition that may arise either due to incorrect balance of the muscles that move the eye due to faulty nerve signals to the eye muscles. In this condition, the eye may turn in (converge), turn out (diverge) or sometimes turn up or down, preventing the eyes from working properly together.

Squint can occur at any age but are common in children. It affects 5-8% of the children. A child with a squint may stop using the affected eye to see with. This can lead to visual loss called amblyopia, which can become permanent unless treated early in childhood. Though, the exact cause of squint is unkown, but mostly, it is either acquired genetically (called congenital squints) in new born or can occur due to refractive errors.

Diagnosing & Treating Squint

It is very important to diagnose a squint (and amblyopia) as early as possible. Routine checks to detect eye problems in babies and children are usually done at the newborn examination and at the 6 to 8 week review.

Nearly 40% patients with squint can be cured with a combination of spectacles and prisms, patching the good eye and/or eye exercises, but, surgery may be required incase of constant squints. Strabismus surgery aims at aligning the eyes by shortening, lengthening, or changing the position of one or more of the extraocular eye muscles.

GIVE YOUR BEAUTIFUL EYES A REFRESHED & YOUNGER LOOK BOTOX, FILLERS & BLEPHAROPLASTY

BOTOX

Nowadays, people are more conscious about their looks and are therefore, seeking more cosmetic treatments to stay fresh and juvenile and eyes are no exception to this.

Botox, which has gained its passion amongst the population for many cosmetic procedures, is used to relax the muscles of the face that cause “dynamic wrinkles” which are the result of repetitive muscle movements. After numbing the area, Botox is injected into specific target muscles to limit their movement and thereby soften the lines. Botox is being used for treating a variety of eye conditions, including eyelid spasms and eye muscle disorders. With the use of Botox into the eye muscles, the movement of the eye muscles is reduced, thereby, aligning the eyes. When injected for eyelid spasms, Botox can help limit the overactive blinking.

FILLERS

If you are keen to have more wrinkle free, soft and enhanced facial skin but are scarred of undergoing plastic surgery, then injectable fillers can be a good alternative. This non-surgical cosmetic option works by blocking muscle contractions under the skin. It offers a wide range of procedure that require softening of facial lines, (such as smile lines, lines that run from the mouth to the chin, forehead furrows and crow’s feet) creases and wrinkles, enhancing shallow facial contours, improving the appearance of post-surgery scars and restoring volume and fullness in the face.

Moreover, fillers give an added advantage of immediate results that may last from 12 to 16 months, depending on the area treated and also it varies from person to person.

BLEPHAROPLASTY

Blepharoplasty, is one such procedure that resolves both functional and cosmetic problems of the Periorbita (area from the eyebrow to the upper portion of the cheek). For your drooping upper or lower eyelids, excess skin on the upper and lower eyelids or bags under your eyes, your may consider blepharoplasty.

It is a plastic surgery for correcting defects, deformities, and disfigurations of the eyelids by eliminating excess skin, muscles and fat from the eyelid(s); and for aesthetically modifying the eye region of the face by smoothing the underlying eye muscles, tightening the supporting structures and resecting and re-draping the excess fat of the retroseptal area of the eye. Moreover, blepharoplasty done on the upper eyelid can resolve the loss of peripheral vision caused by the neglected upper-eyelid skin draping over the eyelashes.

CHALAZION

A chalazion is a kind of cyst or a bump in the eyelid that is caused by inflammation of a blocked oil gland called meibomian gland. It can develop on the lower or upper eyelid. Mostly, chalazions are confused with styes,that occur on the lid margins, unlike chalazion that occur on the inner eyelid.

Chalazions result in swelling, increased tearing and heaviness of the eyelid. It can be treated with antibiotic eye drops, ointment or warm compressions in initial acute infection stage but, if they continue to enlarge or fail to resolve with these, surgical excision can be done under local anesthesia. Only, incase of children, it is done under general anesthesia to avoid any eye movement during the procedure.

A small sized chalazion is removed either by minimum invasion or, by puncturing the chalazion and exerting pressure upon the surrounding tissue to scrape out the matter. Whereas, for larger chalazia, an incision is made in the front of the eyelid. It is a minor 15 minutes surgical procedure that does not require any stitch.

ENTROPION

Entropion is an eye condition in which the eyelid folds inward, resulting in rubbing of the eyelashes against the cornea. It generally occurs when an extra fold of the skin causes the lashes to turn in towards the eye. The main cause can be congenital, aging (that cause loose skin, ligaments and muscles), scarring, eye infection or spasm.

Though, artificial tears and lubricating eyedrops help in the irritation and discomfort caused by entropion, but it is advised to treat the condition through surgery, in which, excess skin of the lid is removed or tendons and muscles are shortened with one or two stitches.

ECTROPION

Ectropion is an eye condition in which the lower eyelid turns outwards exposing the inner surface of the eye lid. Mostly, it occurs due to aging when weakening of tissue of the lower eyelid occurs but, it can also appear as a defect that takes place before birth (especially in children with Down’s Syndrome). The condition can be repaired surgically in which the muscles that hold the eyelids in place are tightened.

PTERYGIUM

Pterygium is referred to a benign (non-cancerous) growth of the clear, thin tissue of the eye called conjunctiva. It generally grows from the nasal side of the conjunctiva. The main cause can be the exposure to ultraviolet rays, low humidity and dust. It causes persistent redness, tearing, dry and itchy eyes. It can grossly affect the vision as it invades the cornea inducing astigmatism and corneal scarring.

Though, wearing protective sunglasses with side shields and using artificial tears or lubricating eye drops may stop further growth but in case it blocks the vision, it has to be removed surgically.

The surgery includes conjunctival auto-grafting that replaces the bare sclera with conjunctival tissue that is surgically removed from the temporal healthy conjunctiva. That “self-tissue” is then transplanted to the bare sclera and is fixated using sutures, tissue adhesive, or glue adhesive.