Our eyes change as we age, and conditions such as cataract and glaucoma become more common. Many eye problems can be found early with a routine eye examination, which is the starting point for any treatment.
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens. Vision becomes blurred, as if you were looking through a steamed-up window. Cataract is most common with age, but it can also affect newborns, people with diabetes, people who have had an eye injury and people who have used cortisone for a long time.
Cataract is treated with surgery: the clouded lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens (intraocular lens). The operation is usually done under local anaesthesia, often with eye drops, and most patients go home the same day. There are different types of lenses, and the surgeon will explain which suits your eyes and your daily needs.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma, often called "eye pressure", is a disease in which the optic nerve is damaged, usually because of raised pressure inside the eye. Vision is lost slowly, often without symptoms until the later stages, and nerve damage cannot be reversed. Risk factors include age, family history, smoking, diabetes, long-term cortisone use and eye injuries.
Because glaucoma is silent, regular eye examinations matter for early detection. It cannot be cured, but it can be controlled, and lifelong follow-up is needed. Treatment may involve eye drops, laser procedures or surgery.
Other areas of eye care
Ophthalmology also covers retinal diseases, eyelid and oculoplastic surgery, corneal diseases and corneal transplantation (keratoplasty), ocular prostheses and eye tumours.
Vision correction
Short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism can be corrected in several ways. Which one is suitable depends on your prescription, the thickness and shape of your cornea, your age and your eye health. Not everyone is a candidate.
- LASIK and similar laser treatments. A thin flap is created on the surface of the cornea, and an excimer laser reshapes the cornea underneath. The procedure itself is short.
- SMILE. A newer laser technique that reshapes the cornea through a small incision, without creating a flap. It is used for myopia and astigmatism.
- Lens implants. For some people, especially those who are not suitable for laser or who also have a cataract, the natural lens can be replaced with an artificial lens that corrects the refractive error. The operation is usually done with eye-drop anaesthesia and patients typically go home the same day, with a check-up the next day.
Every procedure has possible side effects, such as dry eyes, glare or the need for glasses for some tasks. Ask the surgeon what results are realistic for your eyes.
How MedAssist helps
MedAssist arranges eye examinations and consultations at partner hospitals and organises your travel and stay. The eye surgeon decides which treatment, if any, is suitable for you.