Blog

By Dr MSS

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Tue Jun 18 2019

Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, is a very common vision condition wherein our eyes can focus clearly on nearby objects but have difficulties in focusing on far-away objects. Myopia is the most common eye problem in the world and affects more than 20% of the total global population.  Myopia is considered a “refractive error”: A “refractive error” refers to a problem where the eye cannot properly focus light on the retina due to the shape of the eye. Other refractive errors of the eye include hyperopia and astigmatism. Refractive errors of the eye are usually corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery.Nearsightedness Symptoms:

Symptoms of nearsightedness include:

• Not being able to focus on distant objects.
• Experiencing headaches due to eye strain.
• Vision problems when driving, especially during the night.

Nearsightedness often starts affecting people when they are at a young age. Some symptoms of myopia in a child include:

• The urge to sit closer to the TV or movie screen.
• Excessive blinking.
• Frequent rubbing of the eyes.
• Unable to be aware of objects at a distance.

Causes The exact reason why a person is affected by nearsightedness is still not precisely known. However, some factors contribute to this refractive error of the eye.

• Myopia occurs when the cornea of the eye is not, or the eyeball is too large. The light rays entering the eye are not able to focus on the retina, which results in blurry vision.
• There are two main risk factors that have been identified with myopia 
  • The first one is genetics as it has been observed that myopia is usually carried from generation to generation. It is much more likely for the child of myopic parents to be myopic as opposed to a child with non-myopic parents.
  • The second risk factor is when the eye is being used to focus on near objects for long durations of time, such as looking at computer screens or reading.

Treatment

• Glasses or contact lenses usually correct myopia. Depending on the severity of their myopia, a person would have to wear his glasses all the time or only when they are doing certain kinds of activity, like driving or reading.
• Refractive surgery such as LASIK or SMILEcan reshape the cornea of the eye and fix myopia, which allows the patients to see clearly again without using any aids for their vision.
• There are also some methods that have been suggested to stop the progression of myopia in children like low-dose atropine eye drops or fitting them with bifocals, gas permeable contact lenses, or progressive lenses. However, the results of these methods have been mixed, at best.

Myopia in children and regular eye exams A child should get their first eye exam at the age of 6 months, the second at the age of 3 years and one more before they begin their first year of school. This is more important if your child is genetically disposed to refractive errors of the eye like myopia. Ensure the best possible vision for your child with regular eye examinations.

By Dr MSS

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Tue Apr 09 2019

Menopause is a natural process that women experience as they age. It is not a disease or a problem but it is a significant life event and it comes with its caveats and issues. The term is used to describe any changes in a woman’s body just before or after she stops menstruating, signifying the end of her reproductive period. The process can cause drastic changes in a woman’s body with severe symptoms and affects not only the person’s eye health but also her overall health in general. Other than psychological changes, some common overall health symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats and disturbed sleep. enopause also has a notable effect on eye health. One of the most common eye health problems faced by women going through the process is chronic dry eye syndrome. It also raises risk factors for other problems like cataracts and glaucoma. In this blog, we take a look at a few ways by which menopause can affect the eyes. Dry Eye Syndrome

One of the side effects of menopause is chronic dry eye syndrome. Our eyes have a tear film that ensures they stay lubricated. The tear film’s composition is a combination of water, oil, and mucus. Problems with this tear film cause dry eye syndrome. A lot of hormonal changes take place during menopause, such as reduction in the production of estrogen and progesterone. These hormonal changes are what causes dry eye syndrome in postmenopausal women. However, dry eyes are also considered a multifactorial disease, which means there is more than one thing that may contribute to the condition. Some common causes include:

• Decreased tear production.
• Tears drying up too quickly.
• Ineffective Tears.

Fortunately, dry eyes syndrome can be treated by a wide range of solutions including:

• Staying away from environments which trigger dry eyes.
• Over-the-counter medications.
• Eye drops.
• Prescription medications.
• Eye inserts.
• Special contact lenses.

Some alternative home-treatments are:

• Limit on-screen time.
• Eat a balanced and nutritious diet.

Cataracts Even though cataracts are not directly caused by menopause, studies have shown that the rate of cataracts is higher in postmenopausal women than men in the same age group. Normally, the disease often develops without any pain after the age of 60. Some symptoms of cataracts include cloudy vision, glare sensitivity, double vision, and difficulty seeing at night. Glaucoma Glaucoma, like cataracts, normally shows up in older people regardless of their sex. It is a group of eye diseases which can cause irreversible damage to our sight as the optic nerve gets damaged due to an increased level of eye pressure. The risk factors of glaucoma include family history and age, and it is highly advised for people over the age of 40 to get a comprehensive eye examination every 1-2 years to ensure they stay safe from the disease. See Your Ophthalmologist If you’re facing any problems with your eye health, you should always consult your ophthalmologist before trying out any solutions by yourself. Your ophthalmologist will ensure you get the best treatment for your specific individual case.

By Dr MSS

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Mon Jun 25 2018

In the present scenario, LASIK surgery is the most recommended and favorable surgery for people suffering vision problems. The beneficial effects of LASIK have been widely helpful for patients to get rid of the irritable factors associated with the use of eye glasses and contact lenses. Moreover, the effectiveness of the surgery can often be measured in its success rate and the limited time span it requires for complete vision correction. Although, attaining full recovery of all aftereffects of the surgery can be a time consuming process. On an average basis, your eyes take around 3 months to entirely recover post LASIK. However, in many cases it can even take almost 6 months to attain affluent recovery. Nonetheless, there is no problem which exists without a fair and adequate solution. Thus, we list 3 tips for you to minimize the recovery time of your vision after LASIK. Incorporating these tips in your lifestyle can be a compelling solution to prevent an extensive recovery timeline and thus, to avoid the associated bothersome symptoms. 1) Do Not Rub Your Eyes Rubbing the eyes can cause radical damage to the corneal flap. Therefore, it may even lead to another ophthalmic surgery to readjust the flap. After the surgery there is always a burning and itching sensation and feels like some foreign body in eye for sometimes but don’t rub your eyes or even touch it. It can be uncomfortable but it is important not to touch to heal properly and fast. 2) Do Not look into Computer Screens for too long Working on a computer all day long or paying excessive continuous attention at the screen can make your eyes dry. This can lead to increased irritation and itching sensation. Therefore, you must ensure to give your eyes regular required rest. Keep your eyes moist and nourished on a hectic work day by prescribed artificial tears. 3) Always carry sunglasses along The UV rays of the sunlight can be greatly harmful for the health of your eyes. Exposing your eyes to direct sunlight can cause severe damage to the vision. Thence, we suggest you to always carry a pair of UV protected sunglasses to help your eyes with a quick recovery.

By Dr MSS

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Thu Feb 02 2017

In recent times, LASIK has become the most popular procedure for treating vision problems due to refractive errors. LASIK is recommended for people who live an active life and are tired of all the troubles that come in hand with spectacles and contact lenses. However, deciding to undergo a LASIK surgery is an important decision. Here is a list of questions that you can ask your doctor in order to get a better understanding of the implications and benefits of the surgery. 1)      Isthe refractive error within the range of surgery? The FDA has stipulated specific treatment ranges for LASIK surgery. Due to this implication, only a certain degree or type of vision issues which range under the mentioned degree of refractive error can be treated by LASIK. So, while you consider undergoing a surgery, it is important to check with your doctor that whether your sight’s refractive error lays within the standardised range or not. 2)      As per the eye condition, what are the risks of acquiring Corneal Ectasia? Corneal Ectasia is a side effect of LASIK, though rarely occurring, as a result of which the cornea becomes very weak and thus, tends to change its shape. Your Surgeon can inform you if you are at a risk of developing Corneal Ectasia, by studying your cornea’s topographic map. Usually, those patients who possess thinner, irregular or highly curved corneas are at a considerable risk of acquiring Corneal Ectasia. However, there are precautionary measures which can be taken to ensure a lower risk. Surely, your surgeon can give you a better knowledge about it so do ask this question to your surgeon at your LASIK appointment. 3)      What should be done during the recovery period? Generally, the recovery does not take more than a few days. However, eyes are the most sensitive sensory organ that we possess. Therefore, it is advised to be extremely cautious post surgery. Also, you should ask your doctor beforehand, of the duration your eyes can take to recover the surgery. You may also seek for a list of preventions and don’t(s), so as to assure a healthy recovery. 4)      Any other treatment applicable apart from LASIK to correct this vision problem? Apart from LASIK, there are a few other treatment procedures to correct vision problems. Some of these are LASEK, Refractive Lens Exchange, PRK. Hence, one question that you may ask your doctor is what all treatments can correct your refractive error. More advanced treatment options like SMILE are now available in select centres. SMILE offers blade-free, flap-free treatment for myopia (minus power) and astigmatism and is fast emerging as the preferred modality for laser vision correction.

By Dr MSS

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Wed Jan 11 2017

The term which is used to depict surgical procedures to correct common visual problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism and to eliminate dependence on prescription eyeglasses and/or contact lenses is called Refractive Surgery and LASIK laser surgery (Laser in situ Keratomileusis) is the most popular form of vision correction method used. Similar to other laser procedures, LASIK laser surgery also reshapes the cornea that helps to enable the light entering the eye to be properly focused onto the retina for a clearer vision. Laser eye surgery is painless and is completed within a short span of time. A femtosecond laser is used to create a thin and circular flap in the cornea and the flap is then turned back and laser is fired on the exposed inner corneal layer. The basic goal is to flatten the cornea of nearsighted people and to create a steeper cornea for people with farsightedness to achieve correct vision. Laser eye surgery offers abundant advantages in the sense that it just requires topical anesthetic drops and no pain is felt. The fundamental advantage of LASIK laser surgery is that majority of the people accomplish 20/20 vision after surgery. Also, there exists a misconception revolving around LASIK laser surgery that is inappropriate for treatment of astigmatism. This is not correct as excimer lasers which are used in LASIK laser surgery can correct astigmatism by smoothing out the irregular cornea into a more normal shape. These refractive surgeries thus are playing major role in correcting the vision related problems affecting a large number of people.

By Dr MSS

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Sat Apr 30 2016

  Summer Holidays are undoubtedly the most loved time of the year by people of all age groups. Planning adventure trips, joining hobby classes, spending time with the entire family is what everyone looks forward to. It is the time of the year when there is a smile on every face. This is the time of year when you get an opportunity to make your eyes SMILE too. Take out some time and get your eyes checked for eligibility for SMILE laser vision correction procedure so that you don’t miss all the fun because of those bulky spectacles. What is ‘SMILE’? With an increasing number of people opting to go glasses and contact lens-free by undergoing corrective vision surgery, SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is the next frontier in making that experience possible. It has significant added benefits in particular. The corneal surface incision is dramatically smaller now – there is no ‘flap’ being created, so the approximate 20 mm cut made in traditional LASIK is now reduced by more than three-quarters in SMILE.  Because of this, the corneal structure is much less compromised so people with higher prescriptions and thinner corneas can be now eligible for laser vision correction. In general, persons who are eligible for undergoing Lasik are eligible for SMILE as well. This procedure is available for correction of myopia and astigmatism. This procedure is especially a good option for people who have an outdoor lifestyle or indulge in sports related activities and as a result are prone to an eye injury as the tensile strength of cornea is not compromised as much as in the case of LASIK and also there is no risk of flap dislodgement as a result of the injury. Why you should consider SMILE? The treatment process is quick and efficient. You will be in the clinic for about an hour, in the operating room for about 20 minutes. Your vision will be significantly better a couple of hours after the surgery, after a quick post-op check and instructions on post-op care, you will be able to go home for rest.  What best is that after the treatment, you can resume most daily activities within a week of having the procedure done so there is no need to delay having treatment until after you’re back from your summer holidays. Patients who go through SMILE surgery express that they don’t have anything but the best result and experience. There will no longer be a need to carefully guard your glasses, nor will you need to mess around with awkward contact lenses.  

By Dr MSS

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Fri Jan 24 2014

The SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) method is the latest leap in laser vision correction. It is not only a 100% blade-free approach to laser vision correction, but is a step superior to the NoBlade approach of Femto – LASIK. Eyes are our windows to the world. Having spectacles is not considered a problem but having a clear vision is more than mere aesthetics being marred by the frames of the spectacles. A clear vision gives you the freedom of sight, the luxury of seeing everything firsthand, rather than having to peek through the slides of glass. When you are getting the option of a spectacles-free life, make the most of it – there is no reason to put it off. To give you freedom from spectacles or contact lenses, Centre for Sight now offers the most advanced approach to laser vision correction

BEYOND SPECTACLES. BEYOND LASIK. The Future is Here – SMILE

Intensive R&D efforts and giant strides made in technological development have now yielded the most innovative approach yet – SMILE technology – for laser vision correction procedures that are 100% blade free, entail no corneal flap, and offer pain-free eye treatment. If you want to make sure that the procedure you undergo offers you the maximum safety, precision & comfort then your answer is “SMILE” which is the latest in the field of laser surgery for vision correction and has taken vision correction to the next level.

SMILE – The Next Level

Getting rid of cumbersome glasses and inconvenient contact lenses in order to look better and lead a more fulfilling life is always at the back of the mind of those burdened with these unwanted vision aids. However, no matter how ready you are for a life without spectacles or contact lenses, the decision to undergo laser vision correction is a big one. People who hid behind thick glasses or had to put up with the discomfort and inconvenience of contact lenses, gained a new lease of life with the advent of laser technology powered LASIK. But with sight being one of the most important faculties, apprehensions still remained and decisions were red. The hunt was on for a procedure that would offer maximum safety, precision and comfort. The answer lies in SMILE laser technology. The SMILE method is a step superior to the ‘No Blade’ approach of Femto-LASIK. In Femto-LASIK, a laser is used to create the corneal flap, which is then folded back by the surgeon to perform the LASIK procedure. Although more advanced than traditional microkeratome blade LASIK, it still necessitates the creation of a corneal flap in the eye. On the other hand, SMILE technology is a 100% blade-free laser vision correction method that enables the surgeon to perform laser vision correction without any corneal flap at all. This means that there is no danger of the flap getting displaced, either immediately after the procedure or even years later, and as the corneal surface cells hardly gets disturbed during the procedure, the patient feels minimal pain and discomfort. This makes SMILE laser surgery the best procedure for spectacle removal till date

SMILE – Unmatched Precision and Safety

During SMILE, tiny pulses of laser light, about one quadrillionth of a second each, pass harmlessly through the outer portion of the cornea and form two uniformlayers of microscopic bubbles just beneath the surface of your eye. This defines a “lenticule” within the cornea, which corresponds to the number that needs to be corrected. The exact dimensions of these two layers of bubbles are determined by the surgeon based on what’s best for the eye and the refractive error to be corrected. Immediately after the lenticule is created, the surgeon separates the two tissue layers and quickly extracts the lenticule from the cornea, through an incision which is only 3-5 mm wide. You may experience some foreign body discomfort or a little pain for a couple of hours, but you can resume all normal activities almost immediately after the procedure. The whole process is computer controlled for maximum precision to limits that are not attainable with any hand-held blade and the process takes only 20-30 seconds per eye.

SMILE – Now in India

SMILE laser surgery entails considerable investment and specialisation, and hence is offered only in the best laser centres across the globe. Every eye is unique, that is why we tailor our treatment exactly to your eye’s specific needs in order to get the best possible outcome. With the first ever single incision SMILE, a flapless laser vision correction procedure, performed at Centre for Sight in 2008, Centre for Sight has pioneered the innovative SMILE laser surgery in India. With over 46 centres and 28 LASIK laser vision correction facilities, Centre for Sight is Asia’s largest LASIK network and was also the first to introduce FEMTOSECOND LASIK in South East Asia. With the introduction of this technology in its Delhi centre, CFS is now the preferred destination for  SMILE laser surgery in Delhi. It’s truly time to say goodbye to spectacles…with a SMILE! layers of microscopic bubbles just beneath the surface of your eye. This defines a “lenticule” within the cornea, which corresponds to the number that needs to be corrected. The exact dimensions of these two layers of bubbles are determined by the surgeon based on what’s best for the eye and the refractive error to be corrected. Immediately after the lenticule is created, the surgeon separates the two tissue layers and quickly extracts the lenticule from the cornea, through an incision which is only 3-5 mm wide. You may experience some foreign body discomfort or a little pain for a couple of hours, but you can resume all normal activities almost immediately after the procedure. The whole process is computer controlled for maximum precision to limits that are not attainable with any hand-held blade and the process takes only 20-30 seconds per eye.

SMILE – Enhanced Safety, Improved Vision

For anyone looking for blade-free laser eye treatment that is safer and more precise than any other LASIK, SMILE laser surgery is the answer. There are many advantages of opting for SMILE over the conventional LASIK treatment which include:

• No corneal flap creation – no risk of displacement: As a flap does not need to be created, there is absolutely no risk of flap displacement or complications occurring.
• Less Dry Eyes: The tiny incision ensures there is minimal cutting of corneal nerves, leading to less dry eye and improved corneal sensitivity after the procedure.
• Better Corneal Biomechanics: Since the lenticule is removed from a small incision, there is minimal loss of corneal biomechanical strength.
• Greater Precision and Stability: SMILE uses a Femtosecond Laser and not an Excimer Laser, which means that the total energy introduced by the laser into the eye is up to 10 times lower; inflammation is less; and there is greater stability of the result. While an Excimer Laser is dependent on atmospheric humidity and other conditions, the Femtosecond Laser is much more robust.
• Fully automated for quick procedure: The computer controlled process takes only 20-30 seconds per eye.
  • Overall better quality of vision reported by patients: SMILE laser surgery has delivered outstanding visual results with more patients achieving 20/20 vision with SMILE than with any other method.
  • Enhanced ability to see clearly even in low light: Patients are able to see much better in dark, even at dusk or at night.