Eyesight is one of the most important senses we have. Did you know that 80% of sensory impressions are received through sight? That’s why it is so important to take care of your vision. Even when the eye is a small sphere of approximately 25 millimeters, its anatomy is quite complex, prone to disease like any other human body organ, and refractive errors; the vast majority can be improved or surgically corrected. Which are types of eye surgery?
Types of Eye Surgery
There are diverse types of eye surgeries: from aesthetic procedures like blepharoplasty, to necessary vision treatment like Glaucoma Trabeculoplasty, to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP); or Retina surgery to repair retinal tear, hole or detachment in order to prevent blindness. When it comes to improve or correct your vision , due to refractive errors, there are 3 types: LASIK Refractive Surgery, to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism; RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange) to correct presbyopia; and Phacoemulsification (PHACO), to eliminate cataracts.
Vision Correction Procedures
LASIK Refractive Eye Surgery
LASIK: this method reshapes the cornea´s middle layer, so that light rays are focused clearly on the retina. Nowadays, it is the dominant procedure in laser eye surgery, for mild, moderate and severe myopia.
PRK or TransPRK: also known as “surface technique”, it´s an excellent alternative for patients that do not qualify for standard LASIK Surgery, due to thin or irregular corneal surface.
RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange)
RLE is gaining popularity as a surgical option for people who are over age 40 who want to eliminate their dependence on glasses or contacts.This technique consists in implanting an intraocular lens (IOL) inside the eye enabling light to focus on the retina for improved visual acuity. These lenses may be multifocal or progressive.
Cataracts
Until now, there is no pharmacotherapy available to cure eye cataracts, the only way to remove them is surgically. One of the modern-day methods is Phacoemulsification or PHACO, in which a small ultrasonic probe is inserted to break the cloudy crystalline in tiny pieces; after the particles are suctioned, an intraocular lens (IOL) is inserted into the natural lens capsule. IOL´s can be either monofocal or bifocal.
Retina Surgery
Not all retina diseases require surgery at first, but retinal detachment needs to be fixed as soon as possible; otherwise, it may result in severe vision loss or blindness.
Pneumatic Retinopexy: is the least invasive method. A bubble of gas is injected into the eye, the head is positioned so “the gas the gas bubble floats up against the hole in the retina and pushes it back into place”. Then a laser is used to permanently seal the hole.
Vitrectomy: this procedure is performed to remove blood or other substance that blocks light passage, remove scar tissue that impacts on vision, or to remove a foreign body left from an injury.
Scleral Buckling: a small silicone band is placed on the outside of the eye and sutured to remain in place, helping the retina to remain flat against the back of the eye in its proper position for reattachment.
Now that you know a little more about certain types of eye surgery, and you think you might need, or want any of them, we recommend you to book an appointment with one of our specialists. We have an experienced team of surgeons and state-of-the-art technology to better care for your visual health. If you want to find out more about improving your sight, visit our blog LASIK Refractive Surgery: the most precise vision correction procedure”.
At Oftalmólogos El Tesoro Medellín, we offer you more to see!
