Eye surgery procedures using LASER

Eye surgery procedures have evolved into simple procedures that require comparatively little time spent at the hospital, while ensuring better results within a short span. The use of LASER in eye surgery procedures has improved the quality of treatment dramatically and helped millions with relatively painless treatment that causes minimum discomfort.

The simplicity with which laser eye surgery is conducted is evident from the fact that the person who requires this eye surgery procedure can walk into the hospital and can walk out after the surgical procedure is completed. The use of large amounts of anaesthesia that leaves one drowsy many hours after surgery and extreme pain that slowly subsides is no longer the case with eye surgery procedures that use LASER technology. LASIK procedures for LASER eye surgery requires only numbing drops to be added to the eye. General anaesthesia will not be administered and the person will be awake during the surgery. The intensity of the LASER depends upon the condition of the patient and any apprehension about the LASER affecting one's eye need not arise as the doctor has full control over the LASER during the whole operation.

A LASIK procedure for eye surgery is performed on one eye at the first instance and then the next eye. Most people decide to get their second eye operated after a week, though the doctor can start work on the second eye as soon as the first eye is completed. At the start of the procedure, an eye retainer will be placed to ensure that one's eyes remain open throughout the surgical procedure. Mild oral sedatives will be administered before the start of the surgical procedure. The doctor would then begin by marking the cornea. This will be used while make the flap. The patient will be able to see the LASER light but will not be able to feel the small flap created.

LASIK procedures for eye surgery are performed on people who do not have dry eyes. Those who are diagnosed with dry eyes are given eye drops 2 weeks prior to surgery. Even those who do not suffer from dry eyes will be prescribed with eye drops after the laser eye surgery procedures to prevent dryness caused due to the surgery. This eye surgery procedure is performed on those people who require refractive eye surgery. Other conditions for which this eye surgery can be used include diabetic retinopathy, retinal tear, macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition during which excessive amounts of glucose when present in the blood could lead to the growth of abnormal capillaries in the eye. These might burst and lead to spilling of blood in the cornea. A loss in vision is encountered if this condition is left untreated. Eye laser surgery procedure is used to prevent further bleeding of the capillaries and therefore prevent further vision loss.

Eye laser surgery procedure can be used to treat wet macular degeneration, but cannot be used for dry macular degeneration. Glaucoma is a condition wherein excessive intraocular pressure leads to vision loss. LASER eye surgery procedures can be used to create a small hole that will remove the excess fluid and thereby reduce intraocular pressure.

Retinal tear is another condition of the eye where a hole is created in the reins. The symptoms of this eye condition include sudden flashes of light or the presence of specks in the field of vision. LASER eye surgery procedures can be performed to reseal the tear in the retina and restore vision. However if the hole in the retina leads to complete detachment of the retina, then treatment using eye LASER surgery procedures cannot be performed.

Eye surgery using invasive procedures are generally conducted for cataract eye surgery. Cataract occurs as one ages and leads to cloudy vision. Everyone develops cataract, however if the amount of cataract increases to affect vision to a large extent, surgical options need to be undertaken to remove the cataract and restore clear vision. The cataract eye surgery using invasive procedures involves the process of cutting the cornea and using Phacoemulsification probe that can be used to emulsify the cataract. The lens is then changed to a synthetic lens. There are different types of lenses that are available. Certain lenses provide good vision for objects that are far away and would require spectacles to be worn for reading. Certain other lenses are available that provide good vision both for objects that are close as well as for objects that are far away.

After cataract surgery, some people develop vision that is cloudy and this membrane is called the second membrane. Eye surgery for the second membrane can be performed using Nd Yag LASER. This eye surgery procedure will help clear the cloudy appearance and restore vision.

LASER eye surgery procedures are quick and many of them do not require a patch to be placed over the eye. The discomfort that is felt after the eye surgery procedures is also minimal. Many of the patients only feel a mild pain after the surgery but a few patients have complained of more intense pain. A painkiller is prescribed in such situations, after which the pain is alleviated. A blurred vision may be encountered by some people after LASER eye surgery procedure for refractive surgeries, this has shown to clear after a few days and clear vision is regained.

Many eye conditions can be treated using these eye surgery procedures before the condition worsens. The patient should therefore visit an eye doctor periodically to get his/her eye tested and checked for any disease condition.