Useful Information If You Have Worries Regarding The Health Of Your Eyes

By Author: Essence Harold
Total Articles: 73
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Cataracts generally tend to affect the elderly, however it should be remembered that many children also suffer with the condition. Their medical name is congenital cataracts and they develop either shortly before or after birth has taken place. The key symptom of the condition include the clouding of the eye ranging from mild severity to total opacity. Symptoms include myopia, also known as near-sightedness, the slow yellowing of the lens and difficulty in seeing the colour blue. Treatment consists of a cataract operation or cataract surgery. Vision loss and blindness can occur if left untreated. In the elderly the condition leads to shrinkage of the lens and swelling.

Macular degeneration is a condition which results in a loss of vision in the centre of the visual field (macula) due to retina damage. When it develops the disease can affect vision when reading and recognising faces, however side vision or peripheral vision is usually unaffected. There are two different types of the disease; dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration. The former is caused by an accumulation of cellular debris behind the retina, ...
... whilst the latter is more severe and is caused by an abnormal growth of blood vessels behind the retina. As the side-effects of the disease can normally be slowed by taking vitamins or mineral supplements eye surgery is never the first option for someone who suffers from macular degeneration.

Lasik eye surgery, a form of refractive surgery, is used for correcting myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. This type of surgery is a clever alternative to wearing glasses and lenses, which many people do not like to wear everyday. In certain aspects the procedure is similar to other surgical corrective procedures such as photo-refractive keratectomy and refractive surgery and is therefore a common solution to bad eye sight. The cornea is remodelled and its curvature is reshaped during the procedure. There is a small probability that the eye will reject the surgery and revert back to its original state, however any other side effects will be at a minimum.

A cornea transplant is required when a cornea becomes irreversibly damaged, possibly through disease. If for instance a person develops Fuchs dystrophy (a degenerative corneal disease which progresses slowly and usually affects both eyes) or Keratoconus (a degenerative disorder that affects the shape of the cornea, making it more conical than curved) then a cornea transplant is normally needed. This is where healthy donated corneal tissue is grafted onto the damaged/diseased cornea to restore the damage caused by the disease - the graft coming from the cornea of a deceased donor. Keratoconus surgery or cornea transplants are the last resort for cornea diseases - in 9 out of 10 cases, conditions can easily be treated simply by wearing corrective lenses.

The technology used by ophthalmologists varies depending upon the eye condition being treated. In the instance of invasive cornea surgery a Ziemer LDV Femtosecond precision laser will be used. This piece of equipment enables a surgeon to operate on an eye without the need for a blade. Additionally, there is an OCT (Ocular Coherence Tomographer), this is a new form of non-invasive imaging technology to map out the shape, size and exact contours of the eye. Then there are various procedures such as Anti-VEGF drugs and Fluorescein angiography for more specialist conditions. These are just a few examples of the equipment and procedures that are being currently used by ophthalmologists.

In the UK, higher educational courses can offer postgraduate degrees in ophthalmology. Examples are establishments such as the Royal College of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Glasgow and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. A qualification from one of those universities must be held by ophthalmologist to carry on their career in the UK. When the postgraduate has passed their course, the majority of the students often gain placements at the NHS in order to further their practical skills and gain essential knowledge. As a matter of fact, a large number of laser eye specialists provide training programs to help people become entirely qualified ophthalmologists. However, most of the time these are vocational courses that are taken following a postgraduate qualification.

There are many clinics within a range of locations. Most surgeries are based in major cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh or London. Therefore laser eye surgery in London could be the ideal place to find your nearest surgery. Most surgeries are well-established, which means that they will have long waiting lists. This does mean that the the clinic is of the highest standard possible. In particular cases, they may be coupled with officially recognised opticians so a good suggestion is to speak to your own eye optician for their opinion before going to see an eye surgeon.

Now that you've finished reading through this article you should have a clearer knowledge of the UK's most common eye conditions and diseases. However, if you are in doubt then book a check-up immediately.