Treatments & Surgery
Laser Treatments
There are a wide variety of laser used by eye doctors to treat a number of conditions. Laser is often used to treat diseases of the retina including diabetes, macular degeneration, vein blockages, retinal tears and many other problems. Laser is also used to treat glaucoma in a number of ways. It can be used to create alternative fluid drainage pathways or it can be used to enhance the drainage of fluid through existing pathways. Argon laser is used to do a laser trabeculoplasty whilst YAG laser is used to do other procedures such as iridotomy, and SLT or selective laser trabeculoplasty. YAG laser is also used to create windows or openings in the membrane behind the lens implant in some patients after cataract surgery. Learn more ...
Lucentis
Lucentis is the trade name for ranibizumab. This wonderful drug works by blocking the action of a protein known as ‘VEGF” or vasoendothelial growth factor. VEGF is the primary cause of blood vessels growing abnormally and bleeding or leaking. It is particularly prominent in wet macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and vein blockages. In wet macular degeneration, small capillaries grow underneath the retina in response to various stimuli. These capillaries leak or bleed and cause scar tissue to form. It is this process that damages eyesight in AMD. Many trials have established that Lucentis works to stop or at least limit the damage done in wet AMD and today it is the standard of care for this condition. There is increasing evidence of the benefit of Lucentis in the other conditions as well and in time Lucentis may be increasingly used for these diseases. Learn more ...
Cataract Surgery
In modern societies, cataracts rarely cause blindness, but they do reduce the sharpness and quality of people’s vision, thus affecting their ability to do everyday work and leisure activities. When this occurs, surgery may provide the best solution. There are numerous benefits from having the surgery - it is not uncommon for patients to feel that their vision following this surgery is better than it has been since they were 40 years of age.. And now, thanks to remarkable advances in intra-ocular lens design, many people can have the added convenience of being able to greatly reduce or avoid the need to wear reading glasses or distance glasses (though sunglasses are still advisable). See also, Cataract Surgery and Glasses. Learn more ...
Ptergium
Removal of a pterygium can be undertaken to protect eyesight or to restore a normal appearance to an eye. The pterygium can only be removed with surgical techniques and cannot be taken off with laser or other technology. Simple excision of the pterygium is generally not sufficient due to the high risk of regrowth, approximately 45%. Various adjunctive techniques have been used over the years to reduce the risk of regrowth after excision. In the past, radiotherapy was used but this resulted in severe problems in the sclera or white part of the eye a decade after treatment. Another similar method has been to use mitomycin C, a chemotherapy agent. This has also been subject to similar problems. Learn more ...
Vitrectomy
Vitrectomy is literally the removal of the vitreous gel from the eye. Vitrectomy is done for many reasons including retinal detachment, macular hole, premacular fibrosis, diabetic retinopathy, and trauma. It is done with either 20 gauge instruments or the newer 23 gauge instruments. The latter have the advantage of “no-stitch” surgery and rapid healing, and are now standard of care in many instances. To do a vitrectomy requires a trip to the operating theatre and anaesthesia to put the eye to sleep. Learn more ...
Retinal Detachment
In early stages, small amounts of retinal detachment can be treated by laser in the office, or occasionally by another technique, cryotherapy. This is the use of a supercooled probe, placed against the outside of the eye, to achieve a bond of the retina to the underlying tissues. Laser achieves the same effect by heat energy. For many retinal detachments however, surgery will be needed. Many people can have retinal detachment treated by vitrectomy surgery. Learn more ...
