Refractive eye surgeries are used to treat common vision disorders such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism
Refractive surgery is a surgical procedure performed to correct the refractive error (spectacle power) of the eye. It is usually done to get rid of or reduce dependence on glasses and contact lens . It can be performed in a patient with stable refraction (glass power) after the age of 18 – 21 years. Special investigations will be required before undertaking the surgery. Refractive surgeries can be of two types, Corneal procedures and Lens based surgery
Under Corneal procedures, LASIK is a very popular procedure
Corneal Procedure - LASIK
LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser
LASIK is a skilled procedure that combines the state-of-the-art computer technology with advanced laser precision. While the earlier laser procedure viz PRK treated the surface of the cornea, LASIK treats the inner tissue of the cornea and restructures it in a manner which brings down myopia
Lens Based Surgeries
Lens based surgeries are of two types, Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) and Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE). ICL surgery involves placing an artificial implantable contact lens in front of the natural crystalline lens in the eye. The ICL is made of plastic and a collagen called collamer. It’s a type of phakic introcular lens. “Phakic” refers to how the lens is placed in the eye without taking out the natural lens. ICL is very different from a disposable contact lens
Refractive lens exchange (RLE) replaces the eye’s clear natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) to correct refractive error and achieve sharper focus, reducing the need for reading glasses or bifocals.
The Ophthalmologist will advise the procedure best suited to a patient’s needs.