Medical Ophthalmology » Refractive Errors http://www.soe2007.org Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:45:30 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 How Laser Eye Surgery Works – Lasik and Photorefractive Eye Surgery http://www.soe2007.org/how-laser-eye-surgery-works-%e2%80%93-lasik-and-photorefractive-eye-surgery http://www.soe2007.org/how-laser-eye-surgery-works-%e2%80%93-lasik-and-photorefractive-eye-surgery#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:48:34 +0000 admin http://www.soe2007.org/how-laser-eye-surgery-works-%e2%80%93-lasik-and-photorefractive-eye-surgery People with eye-related problems are becoming more and more interested in laser eye surgery and its benefits because this is known to be the most exciting ophthalmologic procedure.

To be more precise, this is a refractive eye surgery that can correct all types of refractive errors such as: astigmatism (distorted vision), myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness).

Even if the medicine offers various types of surgical techniques for correcting refractive errors, the laser eye surgery was labelled by the American Academy of Ophthalmology the most technically advanced and precise one.

The excimer laser was the first laser ever approved for eye surgery and it’s used to correct myopia. Now, this laser is used in two different procedures: Laser in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) and Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK).

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

The surgeon maps and measures the patient’s eye before the procedure in order to analyse the problem. Then, he uses a few local anesthetic eye drops and reshapes the cornea eliminating tiny amounts of tissue from the outer surface.

Next, the doctor uses an ultra violet beam of light and cuts notches the size of human hair. Each pulse of light can remove a 39 millionth of an inch of cornel tissue in only 12 billionths of a second.

According to same studies, only 5% of the patients still use permanent glasses after the surgery while 15% need visual aids only when driving.

Laser in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

The LASIK procedure is more complicated than PRK but it’s a solution for solving all types of myopia.

The surgeon uses the Microkeratome to cut a corneal tissue flap in order to replace it. Everything depends on the doctor because with LASIK he has to make a very precise incision.

The patient only feels a little discomfort and sometimes an irritation but those won’t last too long. In most cases, the patients returned to their normal life in only two or three days.

With LASIK there can be only one side effect and that is occasional glare at night.

Anyway, everyone should know that even if the results are said to be permanent, the age can influence the final results and in some cases the doctor may even suggested re-surgery.




By: Ricky Lim

]]> http://www.soe2007.org/how-laser-eye-surgery-works-%e2%80%93-lasik-and-photorefractive-eye-surgery/feed 0 Laser Vision Correction Surgery http://www.soe2007.org/laser-vision-correction-surgery http://www.soe2007.org/laser-vision-correction-surgery#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:07:32 +0000 admin http://www.soe2007.org/?p=269 If you are considering Laser vision correction surgery or Lasik you should find a good, reputable surgeon. They will examine your eyes to determine if you need the surgery and how much laser ablation would be required.

Laser vision surgery is done on an outpatient basis meaning you will be in and out of the hospital or clinic the same day. A computer is used to adjust the laser and you will be instructed to gaze at a target. The laser will then reshape your cornea and you will not feel any pain. The procedure usually takes no more than 5 minutes but the results will last a lifetime.

As an alternative to wearing glasses or contact lenses, laser correction surgery is being chooses by many people now that did not have the option just a few years ago. Advances in laser technology are now helping people that have myopia and hyperopic.

Myopia or nearsightedness is when objects nearby are clear and faraway objects are blurry. Hyperopic is when objects nearby are blurry and far away objects are seen clearly. Astigmatism is when the objects are distorted due to an irregular shape of the eye. These conditions previously required glasses or contact lenses but now can be treated with laser vision correction surgery.

Everyone that wants this procedure done may not be good candidates for it. Laser vision correction surgery may not be available for people with certain diseases, both medical and ocular and patients with seriously high refractive errors that the laser cannot correct. Potential candidates also must be at least 18 years old.

There can be a potential for complications to occur in laser vision correction surgery as in all types of medical procedures. In correction surgery it would be either intraoperatively, while the procedure is being done, or postoperatively, during the healing phase. Part of the procedure of laser vision corrective surgery is the making of the flap by the microkeratome. They can be incomplete or irregular and usually can be corrected with a follow-up treatment.

Laser vision correction surgery is an important decision and can have benefits for those with vision problems. Choosing the right doctor and discussing your options are part of the process. If the procedure is right for your vision problems you may be able to put those glasses away for good.

]]> http://www.soe2007.org/laser-vision-correction-surgery/feed 0 Lasik Surgery – Seeing The World Like You Once Did http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-surgery-seeing-the-world-like-you-once-did http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-surgery-seeing-the-world-like-you-once-did#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:24:17 +0000 admin http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-surgery-seeing-the-world-like-you-once-did More and more people with vision problems are turning to LASIK to correct their vision. LASIK, which stands for Laser In Situ Keratomileusis is generally a safe, reliable and painless way to improve vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses. Thanks to new advances in laser technology, LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive surgery procedure that is used to correct refractive errors in the eye, such as moderate to high degrees of myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, and astigmatism or distorted vision.

LASIK helps change the shape of the cornea with the use of excimer laser. The knife that is used in the operation to remove a flap in the cornea is called microkeratome. There are several techniques that are employed to reshape the cornea. After the laser has reshaped the cornea, the flap is repositioned over the treatment area by the surgeon.

There are several advantages to this procedure: LASIK is considered as one of the greatest ophthalmologic breakthroughs in recent times. Many eye surgeons believe that even the most complicated refractive errors can be treated with the help of LASIK. This is a relatively simple procedure that allows a patient to go home right away after the operation and ensures a renewed vision within a week.

LASIK is an almost painless procedure with the use of anesthesia to the eye and the cornea. A very small number of patients have complained of little discomfort during surgery, much like a “scratchy feeling.” After the effect of anesthetic wears off, there is a varying degree of discomfort among the patients. But even if there is any irritation, it is usually minor and does not last beyond a few hours. However your eyes may be very sensitive to light for a few days. As LASIK is a relatively simple procedure, it can be performed at the clinic, instead of at a hospital. Most laser treatments do not take more than 15 to 40 seconds, depending on the degree of correction required. Recovery time is also minimal, and most patients are able to go back home after 30 minutes. Within 3 to 5 days following LASIK treatment, you will notice a dramatic improvement in your vision. LASIK treatment of your vision is more or less permanent. With age however some degree of re-treatment may become necessary.

Thus LASIK is a safe way of correcting your vision. So take advantage of this advancement in ophthalmology and start seeing the world like you once did with your new vision.




By: Susan Jan

]]> http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-surgery-seeing-the-world-like-you-once-did/feed 0 Lasik Vision Surgery: New Technology Prevents Side Effects http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-vision-surgery-new-technology-prevents-side-effects http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-vision-surgery-new-technology-prevents-side-effects#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:11:33 +0000 admin http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-vision-surgery-new-technology-prevents-side-effects If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard about some of the side effects associated with getting lasik vision correction surgery. For instance, after getting lasik surgery some people complain about symptoms of glare, halos and decreased night vision.

In fact, I remember attending a business briefing where the speaker started by mentioning he just had lasik surgery the day before. He told the audience, “The good news is I think you’re all going to heaven because everyone has halos around their heads!”

If you’ve considered getting lasik surgery but were concerned about some of the less-than-desirable side effects, you’ll be glad to hear that new technology is reducing those dreaded halos and glare. Known as “custom” or wavefront-guided lasik, this relatively recent improvement in eye surgery technology produces better vision quality when compared to traditional lasik vision surgery.

“Most significant,” says US Navy Captain Steve Schallhorn, MD, the Director of Cornea and Refractive Surgery at the Navy Medical Center, San Diego, “is the improved quality of vision with the wavefront-guided procedure, fewer problems with halos and glare, better night vision, and higher patient satisfaction.”

Traditional lasik reshapes the patient’s cornea with a laser to correct visual problems like nearsightedness or farsightedness. With conventional lasik, the laser is guided based on formulas similar to the ones used to determine your eyeglass prescription. Conventional lasik is effective at treating “lower-order” aberrations like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism (also called “refractive errors”).

Wavefront-guided lasik, on the other hand, measures how light is distorted as it passes into the eye and then is reflected back. This creates a 3-D optical map of the eye, highlighting the imperfections and disorders that lead to visual errors. Wavefront technology then creates a custom treatment plan for each eye and guides the laser during the surgery.

Wavefront-guided lasik can effectively treat the same lower-order aberrations that conventional lasik can treat as well as treating “higher-order” aberrations such as decreased contrast sensitivity, night vision, glare, shadows and halos. In fact, there are a growing number of patients turning to wavefront-guided lasik to correct side effects from previous laser eye surgeries.

“With this technology breakthrough, we can now measure these disorders, show the patient what’s going on in their eye, link that information to the laser, and actually correct higher-order aberrations,” says Roger Steinert, M.D., associate clinical professor of ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School. “Wavefront technology enables the surgeon to improve overall vision quality better than in the past.”

Of course, this advanced technology comes with a higher price tag than traditional lasik surgery. And just like conventional lasik, wavefront-guided lasik is a surgical procedure and has risks associated with it. Be sure to consult with a qualified lasik surgeon to discuss potential complications and ensure you’re a good candidate for this type of surgery.

But if the choice is between crystal clear vision with no side effects and going through life seeing all the people going to heaven, I think I’ll go with the first option, please!




By: Marc Menninger

]]> http://www.soe2007.org/lasik-vision-surgery-new-technology-prevents-side-effects/feed 0 Ahalia Health, Heritage and Knowledge Village http://www.soe2007.org/ahalia-health-heritage-and-knowledge-village http://www.soe2007.org/ahalia-health-heritage-and-knowledge-village#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:38:19 +0000 admin http://www.soe2007.org/ahalia-health-heritage-and-knowledge-village Ahalia Health, Heritage and Knowledge Village, an integrated campus consisting of Ahalia Foundation Eye Hospital, Ahalia Ayurvedic Hospital, Ahalia Heritage Center, Ahalia Children’s Village and Ahalia Public School, is located at the foot of Western Ghats, breathtaking valleys, herbal gardens and natural rain water harvesting bodies. The vast and beautiful campus is hardly three hours drive from Cochin and Calicut airports and 40 minutes drive from Coimbatore airport.

We are a part of the Ahalia group, which is renowned for healthcare in the Middle East for over two decades. As part of our ongoing commitment to provide quality healthcare to all sections of the society, we are in the process of setting up more tertiary hospitals in areas of Women and Child care, Diabetic Care, Orthopedic Care, ENT, and Cardiac Care in our campus at Palakkad.



Ahalia Foundation Eye Hospital

Back in 2005, we opened Keralas’ biggest, 300 bed super specialty Eye Care hospital with an aim to provide advanced and sophisticated eye care at affordable cost. AFEH with its team of competent and well trained doctors has stood for excellence in eye care ever since. Equipped with six operation theaters and state of the art equipments, AFEH has the expertise in all the areas of ophthalmology including advanced Phaco surgery for cataract, latest Lasik treatment for refractive errors and specialty services for Retina, Glaucoma, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Low Vision Aids etc.

We are also involved in conducting extensive research and academic activities, seminars, workshops etc for the benefit of the medical community and the society as a whole. Our community activities include conducting free eye screening camps and cataract surgery for the identified cases, for the poor and the needy. Till date, AFEH has conducted over 1000 such camps providing treatment including surgery for over 200,000 patients.

For accommodation, patients can choose from wide range including luxury cottages, Deluxe A/C & Non A/c rooms which will suit every budget. Guests are served with vegetarian as well as non vegetarian food with using vegetables from our own organic farms. The hospital also has an auditorium, library, research centre, Business centre & internet café, ATM and multi cuisine A/C Food Point.

We have regional centers at Trichur, Irinjalakuda, Chavakkad, Ernakulam and Pollachy in Tamilnadu,  More regional and sub centers are coming up in all the districts of Kerala.



Ahalia Ayurvedic Hospital

This 5000 year old ancient form of treatment is inextricably related to Kerala’s culture. It is this link that has ensured a continuing faith in this ancient system of healing despite progress in modern medicine. Ahalia Ayurvedic Hospital is a place where Ayurveda is practiced in its true form in a calm, peaceful and eco friendly atmosphere away from the inevitable din and dust of the modern world. Our location and unmatched facilities give us a distinct advantage when it comes to quality Ayurvedic treatment . We manufacture our own medicines (“Oushadhams”) with herbs grown in our unique Herbal Garden.

Ayurvedic treatment is useful in curing as well as instilling a renewed vigour in mind, soul and body Traditional health care are offered at two levels- Health Promotion & Rejuvenation, and Curative Therapy. We offer quality treatment facilities both at OP & IP level for various conditions like Arthritis, Skin Diseases, Diseases of Children, Life Style Disorders, Chronic Stress Reactions, Gynecological Disorders, etc. We have various packages for curative and rejuvenation therapies as well. One regional Auyurvedic centre is functional at Valpad in Trichur District and Pollachi centre will be functional by November 09.

Ahalia Heritage Center

Ahalia heritage center is an attempt to trace, identify, rejuvenate and transfer our ancient wisdom and indigenous technology to the new generation. Our intention is to revive the brilliant imagination and unique skills of our traditional artists and master craftsmen. It also houses an eco friendly and pollution free manufacturing unit specializing in local and traditional handicrafts, wood products, palm products, candle and wax products and decorative items.

Ahalia Public School

Ahalia Public School is yet another venture started with a vision of empowering the students with not only academic excellence but also with a scientific temper. Students are groomed to become healthy and responsible individuals and morally upright citizens who are intellectually competent, spiritually mature, physically and psychologically healthy.

Apart from studies, students are also encouraged to get trained in classical dance, music, yoga, karate, arts and crafts. The school is well equipped with a modern computer lab and library

Ahalia Health, Heritage and Knowledge Village with its lush green eco friendly ambience provide the perfect hideout for a private vacation along with super specialty health care facilities.

Ahalia Children’s Village

Ahalia Children’s Village is a noble effort to provide children, who have lost their parents or who are no longer able to live with them, a permanent home and stable family environment. The village aims to provide opportunity for the under privileged children to live with dignity in a caring homely atmosphere, free from discrimination of race, region or religion and to enable them, to survive in tomorrow’s competitive world.

Apart from these, other initiatives in AHHKV include a Primary Health Center which has been started as a part of our social commitment to provide primary health care to the residents in an around our campus. We also have a department for agriculture wherein we have coconut lagoons, green belt, Herbal Garden and horticulture. Organic vegetable farming, honey bee farming, fresh water fish, dairy farming, sericulture etc are undertaken, enabling the campus a self sufficient one. Our campus houses eight rain water harvesting farms including Asia’s largest rainwater farm, thereby reducing our dependence on bore well water.

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By: MaryJo

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