Poor vision not only takes a person out of their usual circle, but also prevents them from living a full life and doing what they love.Modern ophthalmology is constantly offering new methods for treating eye pathologies, the main of which is eye surgery.Let's learn more about the operations methods and their main characteristics.
To do or not
There is an opinion that modern ophthalmological surgeries are guaranteed safe, as they are carried out as quickly, easily and painlessly as possible.
However, the apparent simplicity of such interventions is misleading, since even any cosmetic surgery is a risk.
Most often, ophthalmologists offer surgery to correct such common eye conditions as:
- cataract;
- myopia;
- hyperopia.
Before the patient makes a decision, he must know all the pros and cons of the surgery.There are clear indications for the need for eye surgery.Such interventions are carried out in the following cases:
- professional need for the best possible vision (soldier, professional athlete, actor, etc.);
- a noticeable difference in ocular refraction (with different degrees of myopia in the right and left eyes), which cannot be corrected with glasses: no eye can tolerate glasses with a difference of more than 2.5 diopters.
Patients' desire to improve vision is acceptable if there are no direct contraindications to surgical interventions.
After all, greater visual acuity allows you to live a better quality of life.Having restored vision, a person can learn new skills: for example, driving a car or mastering a computer after replacing a lens for cataracts.Women often decide to have eye surgery for aesthetic reasons, dreaming of getting rid of their glasses.
You should approach the issue of eye surgery in childhood with special care.The child is not yet capable of making the right decision, and instead, all possible risks of such an intervention must be assessed by adults.
Types of eye surgeries
There are many types of ophthalmological surgeries.For example, eye surgery eliminates many eye defects (myopia, lens opacity).Nowadays, patients are often offered surgical treatment with laser or ultrasound for serious eye pathologies such as retinal detachment or rupture.Surgical interventions on the lens, replacing it with an artificial one, are used in the progression of cataracts.Ophthalmologists are sometimes forced to remove the contents of the eyeball or cornea during purulent inflammation (panophthalmitis).In the vitreous body, intervention is indicated if it is damaged or if there is blood (hemophthalmos).In this case, vitrectomy is proposed - removal of the vitreous body.What types of ocular surgical interventions are used in modern ophthalmology?
Let's take a look at the main methods of eye surgery.
Scleroplasty
This intervention is carried out to strengthen the membrane of the eyeball.
Scleroplasty can stop the progression of myopia, but it cannot restore vision.
The operation is performed under local anesthesia and lasts about half an hour.It involves inserting a flap of sclera reinforcing material into the eyeball.To do so, silicone, biological material or the patient's own tissue are used.Subsequently, the flap “couples” to the outer membrane of the eye and greater blood vessel growth occurs.
Scleroplasty can have varying degrees of complexity (depending on the severity of the pathology): simple, simplified or complex.
A contraindication to scleroplasty is the patient's allergic reaction to the material used.
Vitrectomy
During a vitrectomy, the surgeon is forced to remove (partially or completely) the vitreous humor from the eye.
This complex intervention must be carried out by a highly qualified surgeon, using high-tech equipment.
Indications for such treatment are:
- eye injury;
- hemorrhage in the vitreous cavity;
- vitreous opacification;
- retinal rupture or detachment.
Vitrectomy is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.Usually 2-3 hours are enough for this.After fixing the eye with an eyelid dilator, a microincision is made in it.Then, using special miniature instruments, the vitreous body is removed and an artificial lens is inserted in its place.Additionally, a special liquid or silicone substitute is used as a vitreous substitute.
However, such intervention may be contraindicated in some conditions.They are:
- pregnancy;
- blood diseases;
- high degree of corneal opacity.
Laser coagulation of the retina
Laser photocoagulation of the retina is performed on an outpatient basis using a laser.The intervention only lasts around 20 minutes and the painkiller is applied in the form of drops.There is no blood loss with this type of operation.A lens is placed over the eye through which the laser is directed.At the same time, due to the high temperature, the broken vessels or tissues of the eye become glued together.The effectiveness of this operation is high (up to 70%).The patient can go home the next day.
Indications for surgery are:
- retinal pathology (detachment, dystrophy, vascular pathology);
- eye tumors;
- central vein thrombosis.
Strabismus Correction
Most of the time this intervention is carried out in childhood (from 2 to 5 years old).Sometimes the operation is also performed on adults if strabismus is acquired or cannot be treated previously.Strabismus surgery lasts up to 30 minutes and consists of restoring the normal position of the eyeball.At the same time, the aesthetic problem of the patient's appearance is resolved and vision is restored.
For this pathology there are two types of surgery:
- strengthening: if the eye muscle needs to be stretched;
- relaxing: if the eye muscle needs to be relaxed.
The intervention is carried out under local anesthesia using an eyelid dilator.Generally, the patient is discharged on the day of surgery and recovers within a week.
The indications for this correction are:
- impaired mobility (paralysis or paresis) of the extraocular muscles;
- any degree of strabismus.
Reticulation
Cross-linking refers to operations on the ocular cornea for pathologies.This is done to strengthen and strengthen the corneal tissue ligaments.
This intervention is carried out under local anesthesia.In this case, part of the cornea is cut and the eye itself is irradiated to thicken the corneal layer.A protective lens is then placed over the eye.After 2-3 days the patient is discharged.Normally the effect of the operation lasts 10 years.
A similar operation is performed when:
- degenerative dystrophic processes of the cornea;
- protruding areas of the cornea;
- keratoconus.
Eye surgery to treat glaucoma
This eye surgery is indicated for the ineffective drug treatment of glaucoma.
Modern clinics mainly use laser operations without a scalpel, as they are low-traumatic, painless and have a minimum of complications.
This uses a laser beam to create a hole to remove excess fluid from the eye.For the open-angle form, non-penetrating deep sclerectomy is used.In this case, the stratum corneum is artificially thinned to reduce intraocular pressure.
The risk of complications with this intervention is minimal.However, the therapeutic effect of such an operation may decrease over time.
Cataract removal
This is one of the most common operations.In this case, methods are used to completely remove the lens and replace it, together with the capsule (or without it), with an artificial lens.
The most modern method for cataracts is the removal of the cloudy lens using a laser or ultrasound.
An artificial lens is inserted to replace the damaged one.The operation is perfect and lasts about 15 minutes.
Such cataract interventions are usually performed when conservative treatment is ineffective or for progressive types of cataract (posterior capsular).More often, mature cataracts are treated surgically.
The postoperative regimen lasts about 1.5 months.It is especially important for lens grafting and prevention of lens rejection (limiting heavy lifting, eliminating thermal procedures, etc.)
Laser vision correction
This is the most popular type of ophthalmological intervention to improve visual acuity.Its effectiveness is unique – almost 99%.
Laser correction is performed for:
- clairvoyance:
- myopia;
- astigmatism.
This operation is performed under local anesthesia.Then the horny layer is crushed with a laser to the desired level.
Although this operation has many fans, it has many contraindications:
- eye pathologies (cataracts, glaucoma, corneal dystrophy, inflammatory diseases, etc.);
- progression of the patient's myopia (diabetes mellitus, herpes, neurodermatitis, thyroid problems, etc.)
The main methods of laser correction are LASIK and PRK, as well as many varieties of these methods.
The LASIK method is especially preferred by ophthalmologists due to its short postoperative period and its painlessness.
This operation lasts around 20 minutes for both eyes, using local anesthesia.
The inconvenience for the patient is that post-operatively he is faced with “corneal syndrome”.
This is a condition in which the following symptoms are observed:
- photophobia;
- pain, cut;
- tearing.
Medicines (painkillers, steroids) help to cope with such manifestations.The postoperative period includes a series of restrictions (attending saunas and baths, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding heavy lifting, abstaining from pregnancy for a year).
Rehabilitation after surgery
After any surgical intervention, the most important stage is the post-operative period.
If you do not follow the prescribed regimen, the consequences can be quite tragic.Let's consider the basic recommendations that are important for the patient to follow after any operation:
- In the first few days after surgery, it is forbidden to rub your eyes with your hands, and washing your face should be replaced with a cotton swab filled with boiled water.You will be able to use face wash after a month.
- When leaving the house, you must wear a blindfold or protective glasses to prevent dust particles from coming into contact with your eyes.
- You can only wash your hair without shampooing your face.
- For a week after the operation, reading, driving or watching TV is prohibited.
- It is recommended to use blueberry preparations to quickly restore vision.
- When outdoors, it is important to wear sunglasses (for UV protection) for 2 to 4 weeks.
- The use of decorative eye cosmetics is not allowed earlier than a month after the operation, as the ingress of cosmetic particles is extremely undesirable.
- Doctors do not recommend getting pregnant in the first three months after the intervention.
- Typically, the doctor schedules appointments for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery.
- You can start working after surgery only after complete restoration of vision (usually after 2-3 weeks).At the same time, it is important to avoid excessive eye strain (secretaries, accountants, programmers, etc.)
- During the year, you should not sunbathe, have contact with pets or children, or actively play sports (to avoid corneal injuries).
Complications
Regardless of the type, complications are possible after any eye surgery.Such complications may be:
- lens shift;
- seam divergence;
- increased intraocular pressure;
- retinal detachment;
- blurred vision;
- inflammation of the eye membranes;
- clouding of the cornea;
- vitreous hemorrhage;
- secondary cataract.
Complications after surgery require serious and expensive treatment.You should not take any eye surgery lightly, especially if you can do without it.
Most people still decide to undergo surgical treatment for eye diseases and subsequently obtain excellent results.It is important to carefully choose a clinic for treatment and contact only real professionals to keep problems during eye surgery to a minimum.