THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES

Eye injections:

Intravitreal eye injections are commonly used for treating disease such as macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion and diabetic macular disease.

Eye injections are done in the clinic. The procedure is quick. A local anaesthetic injection, drops or gel are used to relieve discomfort and the injections are well tolerated in most cases.

The risk of developing an intra-ocular infection after the injection is small and we take every precaution possible to prevent any infections.

YAG laser capsulotomy:

It is quite common to develop a membrane behind the intra-ocular lens after undergoing cataract surgery. This is not a “second cataract” but can cause gradual clouding of vision after having cataract surgery. We use a YAG laser to remove this layer. The procedure is done in the rooms, its quick and painless and visual recovery is almost instantaneous.

Patients can develop some floaters after the laser, however, these usually resolve over a few weeks.

YAG laser iridotomy:

A laser iridotomy is sometimes needed to treat or prevent the development of angle closure glaucoma. This is a relatively quick procedure which is done in the rooms. Your doctor may elect to treat one or both eyes on the same day. The laser is quick and relatively painless. The vision may be quite blurred after the laser and you might be given eyedrops to settle the inflammation down following the laser.

Argon laser retinopexy:

Retinal tears can develop when the vitreous body detaches from the retina. A small retinal tear can lead to a retinal detachment if not treated urgently. Argon laser retinopexy is done in the rooms. The treatment is quick. There can sometimes be some discomfort with the treatment. You may need more than one attempt to completely treat the retinal tear.

Pan-Retinal Laser:

Pan-Retinal Photocoagulation (PRP) is used to treat retina which has become ischaemic (lack of oxygen). The laser burns the diseased retina and prevents the development of new blood vessels in the back and front of the eye. Failure to treat with PRP when indicated can lead to permanent irreversible vision loss. The laser is done in the clinic. The treatment can be quite painful and as such is usually completed over several sessions.