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Refractive Laser Corneal Surgery |
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Corneal Refractive
Surgery |
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Who is a suitable candidate for corneal refractive
surgery?
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You must be at least 18 years of age,
with a stable refraction for the past 6 months
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You should not have any serious eye diseases
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You should not have any connective tissue
diseases eg., rheumatoid arthritis
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If you use contact lenses, discontinue their use
for at least 2 weeks prior to the surgery
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If you fulfil the above criteria and are interested
in undergoing refractive
surgery, discuss your decision with your
ophthalmologist. Your ophthalmologist may decide to
perform an in-depth pre-procedural examination to
evaluate the overall health of your eyes and
determine your suitability for the procedure. |
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How are refractive errors corrected?
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Non-surgical options for the correction of refractive errors
include SPECTACLES and
CONTACT LENSES. Spectacles contain
lenses that suitably alter the incoming rays of light and
enable them to focus on the retina. Contact lenses perform
the same function but are placed on the cornea – the clear
front portion of the eye. Hence, they provide better cosmesis and improved quality of vision for the higher
refractive errors. |
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The use of the EXCIMER LASER in
corneal refractive surgery has
greatly increased the safety of the procedure as the
refractive correction is achieved by the removal of as
little as 10 to 20% of the
total corneal thickness. |
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The excimer laser is a
“cool” laser, and does not
generate heat in the cornea.
The laser energy destroys
intermolecular bonds in the corneal tissue resulting
in tissue removal by a process termed
“photoablative decomposition”. The exquisite
precision with which tissue can be removed and the absence
of thermal damage render this laser particularly suitable
for surgery on the delicate cornea. |
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Removal of corneal tissue
alters the corneal contour. By
specifically removing tissue from different portions of the
cornea, the surgeon is able to correct the different
refractive errors. Removal of central
corneal tissue in a circular
fashion results in central
flattening and corrects myopia. |
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