successful operations, the least complications and the least dangerous ones
Surgery to correct eyesight .. Between propaganda and reality. Grandmother: Dr. Abdul Hafeez Khoja, corrections for shortness and farsightedness in recent years have proven a very high success rate, even it was said that they are guaranteed and free of complications. If this is the case, then why do ophthalmologists, who use eyeglasses, not perform these operations for themselves or their relatives? .. It is certain that the results are not good, and “if they are good, the ...” etc. Will everyone who suffers from shortness or farsightedness benefit from LASIK, or are there other natives?
Dr. Ali bin Abdullah Al-Rajhi, Senior Academic Consultant in Ophthalmology, Head of Research Department and Assistant General Supervisor at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Editor-in-Chief of the Saudi Journal of Ophthalmology, Chairman of the Scientific Council of Ophthalmology, confirmed to «Middle East», that Corrections for myopia and farsightedness, whether with LASER (PRK) or LASIK, have already proven that they have a very high success rate, but this depends on several factors such as the degree of myopia and farsightedness, the device used, and the doctor''s experience.
Despite that, LASIK operations are not 100% guaranteed, like any medical or surgical treatment, as there may be minor complications, but the results are very excellent to the extent - 10 and - 12 for myopia, and to + 5 for farsightedness. The better results are the less short / farsightedness. The thicker the cornea, the more it helps in performing higher myopia operations, for example, the results of myopia operations from -1 to -6 are better than results -7 to -12.
As for what is said in the newspapers about some lasers, it is not without exaggeration and propaganda, and patients should not be attached to it or be drawn to it, as most of the modern devices manufactured in Europe, America or Japan are similar in results in most normal cases, which constitute about (80%), Treated with laser devices without differences.
Correcting vision As for the choice between LASIK and laser, it is based on the way the doctor prefers to correct the vision, the degree of myopia, the severity of dry eyes, the thickness of the cornea, or the presence of signs of keratoconus.
On the question: Does everyone who has shortness or farsightedness benefit from vision correction operations ?, Dr. Al-Rajhi: Yes, except in the following cases:
It should not be accompanied by farsightedness and nearsightedness.
That there is no nearsightedness resulting from a keratoconus.
It should not be accompanied by myopia with white water, especially in an advanced age.
The cause of myopia is not the hardening of the inner lens of the eye.
Myopia should not be as high as -12 or -14, unless the corneal thickness is large.
The patient''s age should not be less than 18 years or sometimes 17 years, provided that myopia is stable.
There are many natives to LASIK to correct myopia and farsightedness, the most important of which are:
Implantation of intraocular lenses, especially in high myopia.
Removal of the original lens of the eye and implantation of a lens in its place, especially if there is cataract with some complications related to that.
Rings in the cornea, which are usually implanted at the corneal periphery to correct limited refractive defects such as -5 or less.
Conductive keratoplasty in certain areas of the cornea.
Complications of surgery
There are exceptional and rare complications such as the survival of myopia or farsightedness after the operation, such as decreasing -1 or -2 after operations -8 or -10, the presence of astigmatism (deviation), minor inflammation after LASIK, microbial infections, or ulcers, which rarely occur. In addition to the complications associated with the electronic scalpel for LASIK operations, flap complications, such as if the cut is incomplete or irregular, or needs to be repeated again, or converted into a laser and other rare complications, or the laser shedding is not average in the pupil as a result of the doctor''s experience, the device The movement of the patient, and most of these cases, if not all, are treatable.
In general, complications after LASIK are very few and easy. If part of myopia or farsightedness remains or results after some time after the operation, it can be re-corrected once or more, or by wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. As for the infections that may occur after LASIK, it can be treated and reviewed as it was. In cases of microbial infections that affect the cornea, if this is accompanied by poor vision due to the presence of scars in the center of the cornea, it is possible to make a corneal transplant, and this only happens in very rare cases, fortunately.
Why do ophthalmologists not perform LASIK / laser operations on their own? ..
To answer those who wonder about the failure of ophthalmologists, who use glasses, to perform LASIK operations, Dr. Al-Rajhi says that the principle in correcting vision defects is not to perform these operations, as they are unnecessary, and those who do not want to get rid of medical glasses should keep them. This is why we find many people, including ophthalmologists, who have not performed LASIK operations.
In addition, a large percentage of ophthalmologists, especially among the pioneers of LASIK / laser surgery, have corrected their vision for themselves, and the percentage of ophthalmologists who have had LASIK / laser operations is greater than non-ophthalmologists. He said that you find among ophthalmologists who do not have a relative who has performed laser vision correction / LASIK procedures, such as a son, wife, sister and brother.
The lesson is in the one who performed the operation and not the one who did not. The patient should ask the patients who have undergone corrective myopia / farsightedness operations and about their results, not the one who did not.
Finally, operations to correct myopia or farsightedness remain among the most successful surgeries in terms of the speed and quality of the result, the lack of complications, as well as their low risk. The reader should understand that there is no surgery that is free of complications or guaranteed results, such as taking medicines, such as the risks of riding in a car, plane, etc., but it remains that the wearer of medical glasses has the option to continue with it, if he wants not to perform the laser / LASIK procedures, That no one can guarantee its results.
Technical characteristics required in modern devices> no cloudiness of the cornea like old devices.
To have good speed during laser transmission.
That the information and computer treatment are entered in an acceptable and up-to-date manner.
To be less than others in removing the amount of corneal layers during the laser procedure. - That there is a link between the patient''s topographical images before the operation and the laser device when the laser treatment begins, so that the treatment matches the images such as bumps and depressions in the cornea.
The eye tracker should be fast at the speed of eye movement, so that it follows the eye so that the laser is shed in the same areas before and after the movement, and it is recommended that it be at least 200 Hz, and the eye tracking devices should be connected to the laser device.
In addition to the internal system of the laser device, which may differ from one device to another, the Micro Keratone cutting device may reduce or increase the complications related to cutting or its thickness. Most of the existing devices are acceptable. There is a laser device to cut the cornea called Intralase in which Femtosecond is used. laser, complications with it may be less.
