Contoura LASIK

Contoura LASIK is a procedure that permanently reshapes your cornea using highly specialized laser technology. This eliminates the need for glasses or contact lenses by correcting the refractive errors of the eyes and improving vision. Contoura LASIK is used to correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. It is a quick surgery which requires only 10 to 20 minutes for each eye and the results are seen soon after the surgery.

The Procedure:

• Eyes are numbed using anesthetic eye drops
• The eyes are kept open with an eyelid holder to avoid blinking
• The outer corneal layer is cut to make a flap and the cornea is reshaped based on your spectacle or contact lens prescription.
• The flap is then placed back and left to heal naturally without any stitches.

There will be an itching and burning sensation in your eyes immediately after the procedure and your vision will become clear in 24 hours. Some eye drops will be prescribed to help your eye heal and stay moist.

Why Choose Contoura LASIK?

Contoura LASIK can accurately correct most levels of refractive errors of the eye so that you can get freedom from spectacles forever. It is a painless and quick procedure with excellent recovery.  Being computer guided, the surgery is very precise and the desired outcome can be achieved in a single session. Any visuals enhancements required in future can also be done even years after the surgery.

Blog Reviewed By: Dr. Lalit Kumar

Mail Us: amrithospitalchennai@gmail.com 

Book An Appointment: amrithospitals.com/book-an-appointment

Contoura LASIK

Contoura LASIK is a highly advanced, precise and individualized treatment option for those who want to get rid of spectacles permanently. The procedure has redefined the term “quality of vision” as it offers surgeons much more detailed information on the structure of the cornea than the previous generations of LASIK procedures. With detailed mapping of the cornea, Contoura provides customized care for each eye of each patient. 

Who is a candidate for Contoura LASIK?

•     Adult patients (18 years or older)
•     Those who have a stable eyewear prescription
•     Those with good eye health and general health
•     Those who have up to  8 diopters of myopia and 3 diopters of astigmatism

Treatment Procedure

Contoura LASIK treatment can be completed in less than 30 minutes. After capturing the unique specifications of the cornea with Contoura, our experts use advanced laser technology to create a thin flap in the cornea, reshape it and  restore the flap to its original position. The flap heals over time and results in dramatic improvement in vision in no time. You may experience mild to moderate discomfort during the first few days after surgery, but most patients recover without any complications. We will prescribe medications to help with any discomfort and will also schedule follow-up appointments to test your vision and ensure proper healing.

Blog Reviewed By: Dr. Lalit Kumar

Mail Us: amrithospitalchennai@gmail.com 

Book An Appointment: amrithospitals.com/book-an-appointment

Corneal Transplantation

The cornea is a thin mirror-like membrane that is situated in front of the iris and pupil of the eye. It is the cornea that enables us to see by focusing the light that enters the eye.

What is Corneal Transplantation?

Sometimes due to an injury or a disease, there may be some damage to your cornea. In such a situation with the help of a corneal transplant, your doctor may be able to improve or restore your vision. The central part of the cornea is taken out and replaced with a smaller-sized healthy cornea obtained from a donor. As an outpatient procedure, this surgery is generally recommended only for selected cases.

Why do I need a Corneal Transplantation?

Corneal Transplantation can help in restoring or improving the vision, in case you have a damaged cornea. It is helpful in healing:

• Degeneration of innermost layer of cornea (Fuchs dystrophy)
• Keratoconus
• Bulging cornea
• Thinning of the cornea
• Scarring, clouding or swelling in the cornea
• A corneal ulcer

How is Corneal Transplant Done?

In most cases a corneal transplant is done under anaesthesia, that would prevent pain and movement of the eye muscles. The surgery is done using a microscope. Your doctor/surgeon would remove a piece of your cornea and replace it with a new cornea, cut and fitted to your size, it will be sewn using an ultra-fine thread which will be removed later.

The surgery generally takes about an hour or two, you may spend some time in the recovery room to let the anaesthesia wear-off completely.

What to Expect?

Most patients are able to get their vision restored after a corneal transplant, though the result depends on your surgery as well as the extent of damage to your eye. There is a risk of cornea rejection, however, it can be managed with medications.

Corneal disorders and diseases are one of most common cause of blindness all over the world. If you or anyone you know has symptoms that are concerning, consult your doctor immediately.

                                                      

Blog Reviewed By: Dr. Lalit Kumar

Mail Us: amrithospitalchennai@gmail.com 

Book An Appointment: amrithospitals.com/book-an-appointment

Diabetic Retinopathy - What is it and how is it treated?

Retinopathy refers to any disease that affects the human retina, i.e. the innermost layer of the eye. And, when diabetes is that disease, it is called Diabetic Retinopathy. Any person who has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes or has been a long term diabetic with uncontrolled blood sugar, is at high risk of being afflicted by retinopathy. 

There usually are no early stage symptoms, But if it worsens, the following can occur:

• Double vision or blurry distorted vision.
• Retinal blood vessels start bleeding into the eye, causing dark floating spots.
• Pain due to damage to the optic nerve, caused by high blood pressure.
• Total vision loss.

It can also led to the following very serious eye conditions:

• Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) - Edema means a swelling caused by an injury or inflammation. This happens when retinal blood vessels start leaking fluid causing a swelling, which leads to blurry vision. 
• Neovascular Glaucoma - when abnormal growth of blood vessels block the fluid from draining out of the eye, leading damage to the nerves.
• Retinal Detachment - scarring on the back of the eye pulls the retina back from the eye in a condition called tractional retinal detachment.

Checking & Diagnosis:

This starts with a dilated eye exam, where eye drops are used to dilate or widen the pupil of the eye, followed by Vision Acuity Test to check clarity of vision; Vision Field Test to check side vision; Muscle Function Test to check the eye muscles; Pupil Response Test to check pupil’s response to light and a Tonometry Test to check eye blood pressure. If severe DME is suspected, a Fluorescein Angiogram would be advised. Here a harmless dye is injected into the blood allowing photographs to be taken of the retinal blood vessels.

Treatment: 

Injections: in DME patients a protein called VEGF is known to increase blood leakage and swelling. Injecting anti-VEGF medication blocks VEGF and improves the condition.

Laser Treatment: Here lasers are used to reduce swelling, shrink blood vessels to stop leakage.

Eye Surgery / Vitrectomy: this is advised when there is a lot of bleeding, scarring or to remove and replace the vitreous, i.e. the gel that fills the human eye with a special gas or silicone oil. It is also used to reattach displaced retina. 

Every diabetic is at risk of suffering Diabetic Retinopathy, with Type 1 and Type 2 patients being at highest risk. For a diabetic, regular eye exams are highly recommended, as early diagnosis can stop the damage and prevent blindness.

Blog Reviewed By: Dr. Lalit Kumar

Mail Us: amrithospitalchennai@gmail.com 

Book An Appointment: amrithospitals.com/book-an-appointment

Amrit Hospitals - Safety & Service Above All

 The whole world is in  lockdown mode, with the Covid-19 virus possibly in every literal breath that we take. In big Indian metro cities, with their overcrowding, the infected numbers are increasing every day. The government has, quite naturally, made Covid-19 testing and treatment a priority, in most hospitals, government and private, to prevent cross infection of normal patients and to avoid overloading the already stretched infrastructure.

The operative word here is “most” not "all", and Amrit Hospitals is one such exception. Here, they help with “all other” medical issues/emergencies.

Amrit Medicare Pvt. Ltd. is a multispeciality hospital in Purasawalkam and Sowcarpet offering the best medical and surgical care with consulting specialists for every possibility. In the current situation they are offering their services for all non-Covid-19 medical emergencies with the utmost care to safety to all its patients and employees.

The medical services they offer include:

• Ophthalmology
• General Medicine and Geriatrics (old age related diseases).
• General Surgery.
• ENT services.
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
• Diabetology (treatment of diabetes, its follow up and related services).
• Chest medicine and associated services.
• Urology (issues related to the urinary tract).
• Dermatology (skin related).
• Orthopaedics.
• Physiotherapy.

They also offer: Well organised and designed waiting and consulting rooms; well equipped 24-hour laboratory facilities; X-ray and ultrasound imaging services; Intensive Care Unit with cutting edge monitoring equipment, well supplied pharmacy and facilities to take care of insurance mediclaims.

Amrit Hospitals, in the current pandemic situation, assures to offer the absolute best possible services with total care and utmost safety to all those who come for their services.

They can be contacted at:

AMRIT HOSPITALS,

Amrit Medical Centre,

73/28, Dr Alagappa Road,

Purasawalkam,

Chennai,

Tamil Nadu ,

India

Pin: - 600084

Phone:  044-26427711 / 044-26427722

Blog Reviewed By: Dr. Lalit Kumar

Mail Us: amrithospitalchennai@gmail.com 

Book An Appointment: amrithospitals.com/book-an-appointment

Occlusion therapy and Revitalvision therapy for Amblyopia

Amblyopia is a medical condition where the vision in one eye is reduced, early in life. It is also called Lazy Eye as the eye seems to move without control. Here the brain fails to process input from one eye favouring another, resulting in the decreased vision in the unfavoured eye.

Any  condition that affects the focussing of the eye can lead to Amblyopia, like irregularly shaped or inaccurate alignment of eyes; nearsightedness or farsightedness. It is recommended that all children between the ages of four and five have their vision tested. This rarely affects both eyes. 

The two common methods of treatment are:

Occlusion Therapy for children and young adults: 

When correcting refractive errors using spectacles/contact lenses fails, Occlusion Therapy is introduced. The vision to the healthy eye, yes, the healthy eye, is occluded or blocked by means of an external eye patch, forcing the brain to rely on the weaker eye.

However, Over Patching or Over Occlusion of the good eye can lead to Reverse Amblyopia, which is bad. This is why it is done only 4-6 hours a day. While the treatment can continue as long as the vision improves, it is not advised, if after 6 months there is no improvement, and other methods need to be sought.

Revitalvision Therapy for ages above 6 years.. 

This is a noninvasive method based on visual stimulation of perceptual learning and is specific to each individual. Through a computerised training programme based on what are called Gabor Patches, the eye’s sensitivity to contrast and clarity of vision, especially form vision, is improved by facilitating neural connections in the brain.

Visual Perception, or the ability of the brain to interpret what the eye sees, depends on the input from eyes and the working of the visual cortex. Revitalvision improves vision quality by enhancing this. Perceptual learning means practising certain visual tasks leading to visual performance improvements. Repetitive tasks initiate neural modifications leading to neural efficiency, thereby leading to improved vision.

Blog Reviewed By: Dr. Lalit Kumar

Mail Us: amrithospitalchennai@gmail.com 

Book An Appointment: amrithospitals.com/book-an-appointment

Eye care tips for lockdown

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the whole world to go into a lockdown. All of us, the old, the not-so-old and the young, are all spending more time indoors. And, we are all experiencing the effect that it has on our health, both mental and physical. 

As we stay indoors and spend more and more time looking at one type or another of glowing screens, trying to get work done from home or to be entertained, the human eye; that most overlooked of organs is taking up a lot of strain, and this manifests as; dry or watery eyes, shoulder and neck pain, blurring of vision and severe headaches. 

Following are some tips to take care of our eyes:

1. The 20-20-20 rule: this rule says that after every 20 minutes of viewing, take a 20 second break and look at an object about 20 feet away. This repositions and refocuses the eye, reducing strain.
2. Reduce screen time: unless absolutely necessary, reduce screen time on all your devices. 
3. Take a break: get up, exercise, walk around the house, loosen your body and give your eyes something else to look at.
4. Make an actual phone call: YES! Rather than texting or video calling, make an actual voice call. You will be surprised at how effective that direct human contact can be, both psychologically and otherwise, and give your eyes a break at the same time.
5. Screen-free meal time: do not eat any of your meals in front of any type or size of screen. Make it family time. This is an idea that you could continue after lockdown lifts.
6. Read a chapter from a book: yes, just a chapter, not the whole book, preferably in a well lit area. This is counterintuitive, but it works.

Then there are the traditional tips: washing face with cold water; applying cucumber slices or aloe vera to relieve eye tension; drinking lots of water and eating healthy food.

Blog Reviewed By: Dr. Lalit Kumar

Mail Us: amrithospitalchennai@gmail.com 

Book An Appointment: amrithospitals.com/book-an-appointment