What is an optometrist?

An optometrist is a professional who studies optometry (5 years in Colombia). Optometrists are not doctors and therefore do not perform eye surgeries or procedures.

They perform the evaluation of vision defects, specifically regarding the need for glasses or contact lenses. In our institution, optometrists and ophthalmologists have always worked together so that they complement each other to provide the best service to patients.

What is an ophthalmologist?

The ophthalmologist is a doctor who, after completing general medicine, performs a specialization (3 or 4 years in Colombia) in the diagnosis and treatment (medical or surgical) of eye diseases.

Additionally, after completing this specialization period, you complete one or two years of additional studies to further specialize in an area of ophthalmology.

The great advantage of using lasers to correct visual defects is its maximum precision. Surgery with Excimer Laser can be of two types:

Lasik: In addition to the Excimer Laser, an automated scalpel (microkeratome) is used to lift a layer of the cornea of approximately 130 microns so that the laser can be applied within the inner thickness of the cornea.

Surface ablation: The first superficial layer of the cornea is scraped and the laser is applied directly to the surface.

It is reserved for cases where the cornea is very thin and does not allow cutting with the microkeratome. What the laser does is literally evaporate corneal tissue and, in this way, remodels the shape of the cornea, making it flatter in cases of myopia and more curved in cases of farsightedness.

In the hands of an excellent surgeon, with the most advanced technology, adequate experience and compliance with all requirements, it is highly safe. However, like any other surgery, it has inherent risks. These include: infection, inflammation and corneal scarring among others. Fortunately, the probability of them occurring is very low, but if they do occur, they can leave visual consequences.

Local anesthesia (drops) is used for the intervention, therefore the patient remains awake during the treatment, but, as their eyes are anesthetized, there is no pain and, in general, only minimal discomfort.

Lasts between 5 and 10 minutes per eye. It is an outpatient surgery that does not cause disability. Once the procedure is completed, the patient returns home.

The correction made by the laser for distance vision is long-term. When patients exceed 50 or 60 years of age, they have the normal risk of presenting another disease that affects vision: Cataract. In a low percentage of cases (less than 5%), progression or regression of the defects may occur, but, in general, at levels well below the initial defect.

Regarding near vision (reading and other near vision activities), it is very important to understand that, due to the appearance of presbyopia, any patient who has surgery on both eyes for distance vision will require the use of reading glasses after 40 years of age.

Yes, although there is no surgery to correct it in a 100%, the alternative that works best is laser surgery called monovision, in which the dominant eye is corrected to see in the distance and the other to see up close. This is achieved because the brain is able to select and adapt vision to the distance you require.

It is important to note that because not all patients are suitable for this surgery, a test is needed to evaluate their tolerance to this type of vision.

It is possible that the brain adaptation to see from one eye at a distance and the other at close range may take several months. In isolated cases, some patients do not adapt and must use glasses for certain activities after surgery or undergo a new intervention.

It can be said that monovision is a very good alternative that in most patients over 40 years of age allows almost total independence from glasses, but it does not offer perfect vision, therefore, the patient must adapt to those inherent limitations of the procedure or wearing glasses to assist you in certain activities.

People who have to use microscopes (as in microsurgery) are not good candidates for the procedure, which is why ophthalmologists cannot opt for this surgery. Those who read a lot, have constant work on the computer or do very detailed close-up tasks, may have greater difficulty and, at a given moment, require close-up glasses as additional help.

Those who drive a lot, especially at night, or must perform very demanding distance vision tasks (such as pilots), are not good candidates for monovision.

If you have doubts about your adaptation or the benefits of monovision surgery, the other option is to have surgery on both eyes for distance, and use glasses for near vision activities.

SCHWIND AMARIS 1050rs

The great advantage of these high-tech equipment is that they have notable capabilities that allow them to track 7 dimensions, making the eye movements exact during surgery, so that the laser impacts are applied very precisely to the area. of the cornea where it was planned.

Among the main advantages of modern lasers such as the Schwind Amaris 1050RS in refractive surgery, the following stand out:

• Induction of lower spherical aberration,
• Inclusion of eye tracking systems (called Eye-trackers),
• They provide better night vision, greater correction of refractive error, and better contrast vision

FEMTO LDV Z6

• For the entire previous segment
• All femtocorneal applications.
• Advanced multi-dimensional scanner system
• Prepared for future corneal applications
• Designed for OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography)
• Designed for future cataract applications
• Cornea Surgery (Intracorneal Rings)

The so-called penetrating cornea transplant consists of removing the central 7 or 8 millimeters of the patient's cornea and replacing them with a donor cornea.

This surgery allows light to re-enter the eye, allowing the patient to see.

This surgery is performed when the layer of the cornea called stroma is very opaque and has no chance of becoming transparent again, or when it is very weakened, as in the case of very advanced Keratoconus.

It is a surgery that has helped thousands of people regain their vision, and therefore it is very important that we are all aware that donating our organs, after our death, is something that we must express to our family members, so that others human beings in difficulty can benefit from them, bringing a light of hope to other lives.

This type of total corneal transplant requires a full-thickness circular incision, which in the event of trauma can open and also has certain associated risks, such as rejection by the recipient, or the induction of astigmatism that distorts the patient's vision. .