OCULAR SURGERY
OVERVIEW
Ocular surgery, or eye surgery, is performed to treat certain conditions affecting the eye. Surgery is often necessary when conservative and medical treatments have failed or when the eye problem has progressed to a severe stage.
ANATOMY OF THE EYE
The eye is a slightly asymmetrical globe that consists of the following:
- THE IRIS
the coloured part of the eye - THE CORNEA
the clear dome over the iris. - THE PUPIL
the black circular opening in the iris that allows light in. - THE SCLERA
the white area of the eye. - THE CONJUNCTIVA
the thin layer of tissue that is responsible for covering the entire front of the eye, except for the cornea.
CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT THE EYE
- CATARACTS
This is a condition that develops when the natural lens of the eye, which is normally clear and transparent, becomes cloudy or opaque. This leads to blurred vision and may eventually cause blindness. The most common cause of this clouding of the lens is age-related changes within the lens, but cataracts can also develop in younger people and even children as a result of a birth(congenital) abnormality, eye infections, eye injury and uncontrolled diabetes. - GLAUCOMA
A group of eye diseases characterised by a very specific and progressive type of optic nerve damage, with the most common risk factor being high pressure in the eye. Glaucoma is painless and without symptoms. It can only be diagnosed by going for regular check-ups. In families where there is a family history of glaucoma, check-ups to screen for glaucoma should begin from the late teens and early adulthood. - PTERYGIUM
a growth that occurs in the conjunctiva or mucous membrane covering the cornea. The benign (non-cancerous) growth is normally shaped like a wedge. Pterygium causes symptoms such as blurred vision, redness and eye irritation.
TREATMENT
Our specialists at AllAboutEyes perform a wide range of surgical procedures to treat debilitating eye conditions and restore vision. Surgical intervention for these conditions reduces the patient’s chance of becoming blind and improves their quality of life.
- CATARACT SURGERY
the ophthalmologist removes the lens, which has lost its clarity and is preventing light from entering the eye and impairing vision. The cataractous lens is replaced with an artificial lens following removal. During the procedure, the ophthalmologist will dilate the eye with special eye drops and numb the area with local anaesthesia. - GLAUCOMA SURGERY
this encompasses a number of diverse surgical procedures and techniques whose aim is to lower the pressure in the eye in order to prevent future vision loss due to glaucoma induced optic nerve damage. This is done by channelling the fluid in the eye out of the eye and bypassing the normal drainage systems or increasing drainage by expanding the normal drainage systems of the eye. Surgical techniques for the treatment of glaucoma can be done in isolation or in conjunction with cataract surgery. - PTERYGIUM EXCISION
during this procedure, benign conjunctiva growths are removed from the surface of the eye to improve vision. The ophthalmologist will sedate you and numb your eyes before removing the pterygium along with the surrounding conjunctiva tissue.
FAQ
Recovery from cataract surgery is generally painless and should take a few days, during which strenuous activities will be discouraged. Full visual recovery is expected within 24 – 72 hours of the surgery.
During your recovery, visit your ophthalmologist if you experience the following symptoms as they could be a sign of infection:
- Redness in the eye
- Decreasing vision
- Swelling of the eye
- Additional pain in the eye
- Pus or discharge from the eye