Augmented reality, astigmatism and cataract surgery
In my two previous posts, I talked about what astigmatism is and how laser eye surgery corrects it. But what about if you have astigmatism and you are having cataract surgery? Can it be fixed or are you still left with it afterwards? The short answer is yes; astigmatism can be fixed by cataract surgery. Remember how astigmatism is like having a rugby ball shaped eye? Well because cataract surgery involves removing the old lens, then if you have astigmatism, then a new lens o
Can laser eye surgery fix astigmatism?
In my last post I explained what astigmatism was .. so you now know it’s not being a social misfit 😜... stigma.. get it? Sorry bad dad joke...
So can astigmatism be fixed by laser eye surgery such as LASIK and SMILE? Well yes, it can and quite high levels too. You are right in thinking that this wasn’t always the case in the past but as engineering algorithms for lasers have improved, so has the ability to correct astigmatism.
Laser eye surgery as you know works by remov
What is astigmatism... is that how you even say it?
Most of you might have vaguely heard this word "astigmatism" and some of you may even have been told you have it. But what actually is it? Remember your eyeball is like a camera with two lenses. The front lens, the cornea, does most of the focusing work and generally has two basic shapes- soccer ball and rugby ball (I am an AFL man myself but until AFL becomes international, I will stick with the rugby ball description :)) A soccer ball has the same curve all the way around r
Eyedrops- how hard is it?
You like, most people, might struggle to put in eyedrops and feel anxious that maybe you are not putting them in the right way. And then you think, maybe it won't work if I don't put them in the right way and the anxiety builds.... In reality, eyedrops are pretty forgiving. Firstly it is not necessary to hit the exact center of your eye. As long as some of the drop goes in, that is fine. If you actually manage to get a drop in perfectly, you will find some of it leaks out as
Does laser eye surgery hurt?
"Does it hurt?" That's probably the number one question my patients ask me when they are considering laser eye surgery. And I can fully understand why they ask it; most people are already anxious about having surgery, let alone one where it's your eyes and you are awake. Having said that, most patients will given a mild oral sedative on the day to calm the nerves. You won't be able to blink because of the eyelid holder which is placed onto your eyelids- so that's another worr
My eye has pressure!?
Everyone understands what blood pressure is and why it is important. But less people understand eye pressure. It’s what your optometrist or eye surgeon measures with that machine that blows air into your unsuspecting and subsequently surprised eye. Unless you choose to dodge like Jennifer Aniston did as Rachel in the TV series Friends :) https://youtu.be/N01vxee9tWY
The eye has a pressure because essentially it is like soccer ball filled with fluid. Depending on the amount
Why bother having routine eye tests?
When we are young, we tend to think we are immortal... well I did anyway. Unfortunately sometimes the mind doesn't realize what is going on with the body. For my patients over 50, they often feel young still and live very busy active lives, but sometimes their eyes betray them. Routine eye tests look for the big 3 ageing diseases of the eye: cataract, age related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Of these, glaucoma is probably the most frightening and it can progress to a se
What's the difference between the kinds of laser eye surgery?
It can be a bit confusing to understand the different laser procedures available. Currently there are 3 main types: LASIK, SMILE and surface laser (PRK/ASLA). All 3 work on the same engineering principle- to correct a certain glasses prescription a certain amount of tissue needs to be removed from the cornea in a certain defined shape. The cornea is the front lens of the eye. The difference lies in how that shape is accessed and removed. With LASIK, a flap is created with a
Can I get addicted to eyedrops?
Many of us have used eye drops. It might be for dry eye or allergy or just to look a bit better after a late night. But many of my patients ask me : Can I get addicted to eye drops? Will I become dependent? Basically the answer for most drops is no. In fact if you suffer from a dry eye or allergy condition, avoiding taking eye drops or using less than you should actually makes the situation worse. That's because any chronic eye condition which is under-treated actually causes
How long does laser eye surgery last?
"How long will my laser eye surgery last?" This is a really common question from my patients. A better question might be "What's going to happen to my eyes as I get older?"....let me explain. Generally laser eye surgery such as LASIK and surface laser wears off or regresses in a only small minority though the risk increases the higher your prescription before laser. What is more likely to change your vision is the natural changes that occur to your eye with age. For example,
