Types of Eye Surgery

Orogolomistician surgery, also known as ocular surgery, is a type of surgery performed on the eye.  Most eye surgeries are performed by an ophthalmologist with more complicated procedures being done by specially trained doctors.

Since the eye is an extremely fragile organ, specific care must be taken for the duration of any optical surgery.  A specific need for surgery must be identified by an eye surgeon responsible for carrying out the procedure.  Anesthesia is always used during any eye surgery, usually in the form of a local.  General anesthesia is typically used for children or people with serious eye injuries.

Laser Eye Surgery:

Lasers are used for refractive conditions and repairing non-refractive conditions such as tears in the retina.  The purpose of refractive laser surgery is to correct vision which can eliminate the need for corrective lenses (glasses, contact lenses).  Types of laser eye surgery include Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK), Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis (LASEK), Intralense and Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK).

LASIK surgery is used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.  A surgeon uses a laser to remove tissue from under the flap of the cornea.  LASIK surgery is very quick, usually taking only about one minute on each eye.

LASEK surgery is similar to LASIK surgery.  The difference is that in LASEK, the flap is cut from the cornea's outer layer rather than the middle.  Patients with thin corneas have to have LASEK surgery instead of LASIK.  LASEK also has a longer time period of healing and may come with more discomfort.  IntraLense is also very similar to LASIK, although instead of using a blad to create the flap, the surgeon will use an additional laser.

PRK also treats vision impairments.  Only lasers are used to remove tissue from the cornea.  The procedure often lasts less than one minute.

Non-laser Eye Surgery

Non-laser eye surgeries use blades to cut into the eye to improve vision.  Low heat radio waves are used to reshape the cornea.  Astigmatic Keratotomy Incisions are used to correct astigmatism.  A blade us used to reshape the cornea.  

This method is used less frequently in favor of more modern laser eye surgeries.  Implantable contact lenses are used to treat nearsightedness and farsightedness.

The lens is implanted behind the iris and do not need maintenance like regular contact lenses. 

This procedure can take up to 20 minutes.  Intraocular lenses are typically implanted in place of the natural lenses removed during cataract surgery.  While Intraocular lenses once only helped with seeing things in the distance, the procedure can now correct close vision as well.

• Cataract Surgery: A cataract is a cloudiness of the eye's lens typically caused by old age, disease or injury.  The lens of the eye may be surgically removed in a cataract causes severe vision loss.  A plastic lens is usually put in place.  Cataract surgery is the most common type of eye surgery.
  
• Glaucoma Surgery: Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve resulting in vision loss.  One type of glaucoma surgery is Canaloplasty.  This procedure is minimally invasive and opens up the canal of the eye in order to reduce pressure inside the eye.
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• Eye Muscle Surgery: Eye muscle surgery is the third most common eye surgery in the United States with about 1.2 million procedures being done each year.  This type of eye surgery is used to correct Strabismus which is a condition where the eyes are not aligned correctly with each other.  This procedure can include loosening muscles or tightening them.  There are other repositioning procedures and methods of reattaching a muscle resulting in better alignment.
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• Oculoplastic Surgery: Oculoplastic surgery deals with reconstruction of the eye and surrounding parts.  Procedures in this area are used for repairing tear ducts, fixing droopy eyelids, repairing orbital fractures, removing tumors and facial rejuvenation.  These types of oculoplastic surgeries include eyelid surgery, orbital surgery, Botox injections, liposuction of the face and neck area, and face lifts. 

Cosmetic Eye Surgery

Blepharoplasty:

Blepharoplasty is surgery performed on the eyelids used to improve the appearance of tired or droopy eyes.  Excess skin and fat is removed from the eyelids to create a better appearance.  The procedure is often minor and can create a younger appearance for the patient.  Risks can include swelling, bleeding or infection.  Benefits can include an improved appearance that can be long-lasting.