eye examination

Both Lasik and Lasek are eye surgeries done using laser. Both have the same risks, and both also have a good success rate. Patients with eye disorders and problems have to consult an experienced and reliable surgeon who will study the eye composition and decide whether to perform a Lasik eye operation or a Lasek one. The main consideration while choosing the mode of operation is the thickness of the cornea. There are a few differences between the two.
There are subtle differences between a Lasik eye surgery and a Lasek eye surgery.

While Lasik is Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis meaning that the procedure is done in the place itself, Lasek is Laser Assisted Sub Epithelial Keratomileusis meaning that it is done below the epithelium. Both Lasik and Lasek are procedures used to correct certain problems of the eye like myopia (short sight), long sight and astigmatism. There is not much difference in the time needed for the operation as both can be done within a minute for each eye, though the whole procedure may last for fifteen minutes. Both are outpatient procedures and need no hospitalization.

In the Lasik procedure a microkeratome knife is used and the epithelium and stroma are cut to 100-180 microns. Alcohol in diluted form is used to separate and lift the epithelium and a flap is created. In Lasek procedure the epithelium is cut only at a thickness of 50 microns while the stroma is left uncut. A finer blade is used in this method as compared to the Lasik method and the corneal tissue under the epithelial flap is treated. Here too alcohol is used to raise the epithelium. However the biggest difference between the two is in the difference in the thickness of the flap and the stroma tissue which is treated in Lasik while Lasek only treats the epithelial tissue of the eye.

There is a some difference in the recovery period The Lasek patient can become normal within a day or two, drive within three days and has the required vision in a couple of months. The healing here is faster. In a Lasik surgery patient, the flap heals within a day but he can drive only after about a week and the recovery is slightly longer than if he had a Lasek operation.

Lasik procedure is suitable for people who have more corneal tissue. There is no pain and less discomfort than in the Lasek procedure. They have an immediately clear vision and there may not be any corneal haze. In Lasek patients’ people generally have less corneal tissue but it is preserved more. There are no complications of stromal flap and there is less risk of dry eyes as compared with the Lasek patient.

There are some risks in both these surgeries. The flap may get dislodged with trauma or there may be scars which may need post operative treatment in about 5 percent of patients. The remaining ninety five may have no complaints and can lead normal lives as soon as possible. The happy part is that there have been no cases reported of any patient losing his eyesight after laser treatment.

As always, there are eye exercises or Pencil Pushups which can be performed prior to the operation. Due to recent advances in laser technology, laser eye surgery is generally a safe procedure. That said, there are some side-effects and  Complications of laser eye surgery which are rare, but you need to be aware of them.

Eye Examination

The Intralase eye surgery is a very advanced form of laser eye surgery which may not have reached several countries and some of the surgeons till now.

Intralase surgery is also called the “Blade-less Eye Surgery” or the “All Laser Eye Surgery” as only lasers and no blades are used in this procedure.

Normally the microkeratone, which is a hand held blade, is used to make the cutting for the flap. In intralase surgery it is a laser which does this job. Naturally the laser does a better job at cutting rather than a manual one and there are thus fewer chances of tearing or uneven edges of the cornea and the underlying tissues.

Intralase eye surgery is performed with the help of a computer which guides the laser beam. This makes very tiny bubbles on the cornea which help in cutting the flap. The underlying tissues are corrected and the flap put back in place. This is done in a matter of minutes and the patient may not even be aware that the surgery is completed so fast. It needs an expert surgeon to do it correctly and a properly selected patient. The patient should be over 18 years of age. He should be in reasonable good health and should not be using the specs or contacts, for at least a week to ten days prior to the operation, which he earlier had been using to cover his astigmatism, or short or long sight.

The sophisticated intralase method of eye surgery is safe. The patient heals faster as the cut is clean and precise. He will recover faster than in traditional eye surgery. Majority of those who have undergone this surgery have said that they have achieved a perfect twenty-twenty vision after the intralase eye surgery. As the cut is clean, it is less prone to infections or inflammations.

In this procedure even people who have thin corneas can be operated. Earlier with the other laser procedures, the thinness of the cornea used to be a big hurdle for the operation. But in intralse the thickness of the cornea does not matter and even a thin one can be operated.

Most patients are comfortable after the intralase surgery. They notice a marked improvement in their vision from the very next day. Most of them can go to their workplaces and resume their normal activities within a day after intralase surgery. However ladies should not use eye make up for at least three days after the surgery. All patients should avoid swimming or rubbing their eyes for at least a couple of weeks after the surgery. Some may complain about being sensitive to bright light or may report seeing halos around lights especially at night. Bit this will disappear soon. Some may have dry eyes which can be rectified using eye drops.

The patients have to undergo regular checkups after the operation to ensure that the healing is fine and that their eyes are normal and healthy. They can thus say goodbye to their specs and their contact lens.

As always, there are eye exercises or Pencil Pushups which can be performed prior to the operation. Due to recent advances in laser technology, laser eye surgery is generally a safe procedure. That said, there are some side-effects and  Complications of laser eye surgery which are rare, but you need to be aware of them.

Eye

Eye exercises are generally done to avoid prescription glasses or laser eye surgery. Many of us are naturally wary of jumping onto the operating table and resort to eye surgery. Especially when we believe that there are alternatives to laser eye surgery.

Some of our readers have pointed out that these exercises can be done to avoid wearing contact lenses and glasses, please let us know whether you found these exercises helpful.

Below is a list of Simple Eye Exercises

* The simplest eye exercise is to look at objects in the distance for long periods of time. This can be done while you are sitting in a garden or walking.

* You can alternate between looking at things in the distance and things nearby so that the eye keeps focusing on objects near and far. All this does is to give your muscles a work out and strengthen them.

The way to do this exercise is to sit down and focus on a distant object for 1 minute and then focus on a near by object.

Pencil Push Ups :- Some prefer to do with a pencil held in the hand. Try to concentrate on the tip of the pencil holding it near to your nose and slowly, but gradually stretch your arm to full length, always trying to focus on the tip.

Repeat 10 times every day.

* Keeping the eyeballs moving is the easiest method of correcting vision. Sit down and move your eyes clock wise and then counter clock wise.

Repeat 10 times every day.

Orthoptics is a practice of using the eyes to improve muscular imbalances in the eyes. Credit for these techniques goes to Mary Maddox, an English lady, daughter of an ophthalmologist. She devised orthoptics in the first half of the twentieth century.

Orthoptics is a combination of two Greek words meaning straight vision. Eye exercises are performed which improve the eyesight and correct problems. They do not cost any money and can be done anywhere. These exercises have been found satisfactory by medical practitioners.

Doing eye exercises will not harm you in any way, but the possibility that your refractive error will be corrected by eye exercises is slim.

Bottom Line:- There is one rational method of eye training and eye exercises—orthoptics—carried out under competent optometric and medical supervision to correct coordination or binocular vision problems such as “crossed eyes” and “lazy” eyes. If the muscles that control eye movements are out of balance, the function of one eye may be suppressed to avoid double vision. Covering the good eye can often stimulate the amblyopic eye to work again to provide binocular vision for the patient. Orthoptics, surgery, or a combination of the two often can improve problems in pointing and focusing the eyes due to poor eye-muscle control.

Remember: Whatever said and done, no type of eye exercise can improve a refractive error or cure any ailment within the eyeball or in any remote part of the body.

References:-

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19154276

2. http://archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/126/10/1336

3. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/eyequack.html

Laser Eye Care

Laser eye surgery is an operation to correct the vision problems using laser technology. All surgical interventions carry a certain amount of risk which may or may not take place. Due to recent advances in laser technology, laser eye surgery is generally a safe procedure. That said, there are some side-effects and  Complications of laser eye surgery which are rare, but you need to be aware of them. Some of us have a great fear of surgery and would like to try out alternatives to surgery in the first instance.

If your vision is failing or causing problems and you doctor recommends Laser eye surgery, then you should give it a very good thought. If you have made up your mind, NOT to have surgery, then you may want alternatives to laser eye surgery.

Alternatives to Laser Eye Surgery

* Opt for normal surgery which has been going on for ages and therefore has predictable results. This will also, correct vision problems.

* Try eye exercises or Pencil Pushups

* Continue to use corrective contact lens or spectacles which are worn to correct the vision without surgery.

* Opt for lensectomy where lens are implanted after removing the natural lens.

* Opt for artificial lens, which can be inserted without removing the original lens.

The latter 2 options seem to be a bit drastic and the best bet is to listen to your doctor’s advice.

* Intracorneal rings are available which can be placed inside the cornea for better and corrected vision. These rings make the cornea slightly flat so that the near sightedness is improved. They can be removed and the myopia will return.

* Eye Exercises: – These are simple, inexpensive, do not need a doctor’s guidance and have been there from the beginning of time. These eye exercises are done to improve the eyesight. They can be learnt and done anywhere and at any time and have no side effects.

Our ancestors lived without resorting to specs, lens or operations. They had good vision and very little problems except when they grew old and their eyesight naturally diminished. It could be that our lifestyle is to be blamed for our present problems. We do not use our eyes as nature intended. We read, watch television, and sit before a computer for hours and our vision suffers. Our eyes do not get enough exercise. If eyes are used as nature intended then there would be less problems and no need of laser eye surgeries or operations of any kind.

Bottom line:- Easy to say and difficult to practice. Listen to what your ophthalmologist says and discuss your fears.