Refractive Corneal Surgery in India
What is Refractive Corneal Surgery?
Refractive surgery is undertaken to address three common refractive errors—astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. The objective is to enhance vision, eliminating the reliance on contact lenses or eyeglasses. In some cases, refractive surgery is also employed to correct presbyopia. Notably, refractive surgery is performed on healthy eyes, distinguishing it from other eye surgeries. It is considered an elective procedure, akin to cosmetic surgery. The umbrella of refractive surgery encompasses various surgical methods, including the reshaping of the cataract or cornea. Excimer lasers are frequently utilized to reshape the curvature of the cornea, representing one of the most prevalent techniques.
Types of Refractive Corneal Surgery
The various types of refractive surgery procedures include :
Refractive Corneal Surgery
The surgical procedures address nearsightedness, ranging from mild to moderate. Individuals experiencing nearsightedness encounter challenges in seeing objects at a distance.
Corneal Surgery
Corneal Transplant : Corneal transplant surgery is conducted when the cornea is damaged or diseased, hindering its ability to transmit light to the retina. In this procedure, the patient's diseased cornea is replaced with a healthy graft or cornea from a donor.
DSEK : Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK) is a procedure aimed at correcting disorders in the innermost area of the cornea, which result in vision limitations due to corneal swelling. This technique involves transplanting only the innermost corneal layer through a small incision, eliminating the need for sutures to secure the graft in place.
Penetrating Keratoplasty : This technique is highly preferred by patients seeking to replace the entire cornea. It involves the use of multiple sutures to secure the graft in place. Post-surgery, patients can achieve optimal vision by utilizing contact lenses.
Vision Correction Surgery
Also known as refractive eye surgery, vision correction surgery is undertaken to address various refractive errors. These surgeries aim to reshape the front part of the eye, ensuring proper focus of light onto the retina. The choice of surgical methods is determined through eye measurements. The diverse procedures include :
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) : This procedure is conducted to rectify astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. Utilizing lasers to reshape the cornea, the surgery involves a cool, pulsing beam of ultraviolet light directed onto the surface of the cornea.
Phakic IOL : In this method, an intraocular lens is inserted in front of the patient's natural lens, without disrupting the surface layers.
Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) : This procedure addresses issues of astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness by reshaping the corneal tissue to achieve a focused light onto the retina. The widely adopted method involves creating a flap in the outer layer of the cornea using a laser, allowing for the reshaping of the underlying layers.
PRK Versus LASIK
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) and LASIK (Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis) are two types of Laser Refractive Surgery that share the same laser technology. The key distinction between them lies in the initial stages of the procedures. While the general process of both PRK and LASIK is quite similar, involving the use of laser to reshape the cornea for vision improvement, the major difference is that PRK does not involve the creation of a corneal flap.
Both PRK and LASIK offer significant benefits. PRK eliminates the long-term flap risk, which is crucial in situations like dry eye syndrome, martial arts, and construction. On the other hand, LASIK presents fewer chances of corneal erosion or scarring compared to PRK.
Cost of Cornea and Refractive Surgery
The cost of both cornea and refractive surgery in India is notably economical in comparison to other developed countries. These treatments and surgeries leverage the latest advancements in medical technology.
Start your Journey to Good Health With The Third Eye Medical Services
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