Laser Eye Treatment & Refractive Surgery

The surgical correction of visual defects has been an established medical practice for some years now.  The treatment aims to increase or decrease the eye's focusing power by reshaping the front section of the eye (cornea).

Refractive surgery, also known as visual defect surgery, is now the only method that ensures a lasting solution and the best possible vision. It eliminates the need for glasses or contact lenses and vastly improves the patient's quality of life.

Laser correction uses an ‘excimer’ laser to improve the curvature of the cornea, which is the most precise and safest surgical method available.  It can correct the following conditions:

- Myopia (short sightedness)

- Hyperopia (far sightedness)

- Astigmatism

Intermedica uses three types of laser eye treatment.  The choice of which depends upon the seriousness of the defect:

LASIK –

This method is used to correct myopia up to - 10D, hyperopia up to +5D and astigmatism up to 5D.  It is performed in two stages. After the application of local anaesthesia, a horizontal incision is made in the cornea to produce a flap. The flap is lifted and the computer controlled laser beam acts on the revealed deeper layers of corneal tissue. After the laser action has finished, the flap is put back into position. No dressing is required after the LASIK procedure and the area of incision is completely invisible. The entire procedure lasts less than 20 minutes.

LASEK –

This method is the latest advancement in laser surgery and is used to correct more serious defects in cases where the LASIK method cannot be used. During the LASEK procedure, the layer of epithelial cells is temporarily folded aside from the surface of the cornea and the laser is applied. The epithelium is folded aside only for the time that the laser is used, and returned immediately after. After the surgery the patient has to wear a special contact lens over the treated eye for about 7 days, which also acts as a dressing. The procedure lasts about 15 minutes.

PRELEX - (Presbyopic Lens Exchange)–

This new refractive surgery procedure is capable of eliminating the need for bifocals and reading glasses for certain types of patient.  The procedure replaces the natural lens inside your eye with a specially designed, multifocal intraocular lens that allows the eye to focus on near and far distances.

Cataract Surgery

Intermedica uses two types of surgical cataract removal, which are currently the only available treatments for this condition:

1. ‘Ultrasonic Phacoemulsification’: This procedure involves making a small incision, into which an ultrasonic probe is introduced to break down the opacified lens.  A soft synthetic lens is then implanted intraocularly.
2. ‘Liquid Emulsification’: This procedure involves breaking the opacified lens with a warm liquid delivered at a given pressure, which disintegrates the patient's opacified lens. This helps to eliminate the need for ultrasound.  This Procedure lasts about 20 minutes.