In eye surgery, different kinds of lasers are used for many reasons which include treating the following:
· Treating retinal conditions (such as retinal tears, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions),
· Treating short or long-sightedness (spectacle removal/LASIK surgery),
· Treating patients with after-cataract and Primary angle closure glaucoma,
· Patients with after cataract (diminution of vision after successful cataract surgery)
When is laser used for retinal diseases?
A laser can be focused on the retina in order to spot-weld (stick) layers of the retina together or to destroy part of the diseased retina to prevent it from causing further problems to the unaffected part.
Why is the laser used in retinal tears?
By using laser around the retinal tear, we can reduce the risk of the tear progressing to a full retinal detachment. Essentially the laser ‘spot-welds’ the retina to the deeper layers in the eye, preventing it in most cases from detaching. The laser burns tissues around the retinal tear, resulting in scarring.
Dilated peripheral retinal examination and surgery will be necessary to find all the retinal breaks and seal them and to relieve present and future vitreoretinal traction, or pulling. Without laser or surgery, there is a high risk of complete vision loss.
Why is the laser used in diabetic retinopathy?
In diabetic retinopathy, abnormal blood vessels can leak fluid and reduce vision. The laser can be used in these instances to reduce the leakage. The laser is effective in reducing the risk of blindness in some patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Almost always, you will need several sessions of laser in each affected eye.
At BVI, we take utmost care for patients with Diabetes and they are seen earlier than others owing to the complex nature of their disease.
Please schedule your laser treatment with us by speaking to one of our front desk executives or with our surgery coordinator.