The economic burden caused by vision and eye problems was estimated at over $139 billion in the United States in 2013.
Studies have found that people with vision problems can be expected to have a lower quality of life as well as to experience physical and mental health decline, including an increased risk of diabetes and depression.
Given the significance of these consequences, doesn’t it seem like a good idea to maintain your eye health?
Thankfully, new techniques and technologies are making big impacts in the field of vision correction.
These technologies mean that what were once complicated procedures are now becoming quick and easy surgical treatments. You no longer have to learn to cope with disabling vision conditions.
Staying up to date on what eye surgery procedures might be available to you can make a big difference in your long-term well-being.
If you aspire to keep good-quality vision into old age, read on.
Advances in Laser Vision Correction
LASIK (Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) and its predecessor, PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy), are well known in the field of eye surgery and have been around for decades.
Both of these procedures use a laser to cut into the epithelial layer of the cornea. In PRK, this layer is removed completely. In LASIK, a flap of this layer is left partially connected so that it can be replaced after surgery.
After the epithelium is removed or pulled back, an excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea into a lens. In PRK, a contact lens is then placed over the cornea. In LASIK, the flap is then replaced.
LASIK and PRK are time-tested and continue to be highly useful in modern ophthalmology, but both have their drawbacks.
Since PRK requires the full removal of the corneal epithelium, the healing process can take quite a bit longer. For the same reason, the risk of infection is slightly higher.
LASIK cannot be done on people with thin corneal tissue, such as older individuals or those with very poor vision. The corneal flap can also lead to more complications, and the healing process often involves dry eye.
SMILE: The Newest Laser Eye Procedure
Since 2016, a new, non-invasive laser eye surgery option has been available in the United States. This procedure is known as SMILE (SMall Incision Lenticule Extraction).
Instead of removing the corneal epithelium (as in PRK) or cutting a flap out of it (as in LASIK), SMILE only requires a small laser incision to be made in the tissue. This is an 80% reduction in tissue damage as compared with LASIK.
A new type of laser called a femtosecond oscillator is used to reshape the cornea into a lens, similar to the way the excimer laser works in LASIK. This process lasts only about 20 seconds.
Once the cornea has been reshaped, the excess tissue is removed via the small incision, or “keyhole,” that was made in the epithelium.
This procedure represents the cutting edge of laser corrective surgery. Because the incision can be so much smaller than with PRK or LASIK, the recovery time and risk of complications are significantly less.
Get more information if you’re interested in learning more about SMILE.
Corneal Inlays: Doing Away With Reading Glasses
As we age, the lenses of our eyes become less flexible. This increased rigidity causes us to have difficulty focusing on objects nearer to us. Books, menus, and computer screens become blurry even if we can see just fine at a distance. This is called presbyopia.
The typical solution to presbyopia is reading glasses, which refocus things for us. However, carrying around reading glasses to put on and take off as needed can be a nuisance.
Corneal inlays offer another, more permanent solution to this problem. A corneal inlay is a small ring placed on the inside of the cornea in a minimally invasive eye surgery that helps the eye focus on near objects.
The procedure, approved by the FDA in 2015, involves using a laser to create small perforations on your cornea. Through these perforations, your ophthalmologist will insert the device and adjust its position.
Your near vision will improve within a day or two of the procedure. Complete recovery takes only a week or two.
Trifocal IOLs: The Cutting Edge of Cataract Surgery
Cataracts are accumulations of proteins that have broken down in the eye and cloud one’s vision. They are very common in people over 50 years old and are estimated to affect over half of all Americans over 80.
Cataract surgery involves the removal of the eye’s natural lens, which has clouded over. The lens is replaced by an artificial one.
Over 4 million cataract surgeries are performed in the United States each year, and that number is projected to grow.
Artificial lenses have improved over time, but the newest of them is the trifocal intraocular lens (IOL), just approved by the FDA last year. They are called “trifocal” because they function effectively at near, intermediate, and far distances.
Clinical studies found a 99% satisfaction rate with these new devices.
Implantable Collamer Lens: An Alternative to Laser Vision Correction
One more recent development in eye surgery is the implantable collamer lens (ICL).
In some cases, laser vision correction may not be the best choice for a patient. If this applies to you, an ICL might work for you.
ICLs function like a permanent contact lens. They are inserted in a minimally invasive procedure to the inside of the eye so that they cannot be felt.
The surgery is quick and tends to have a short recovery time.
Keeping Up With Developments
With all of the breakthroughs in vision correction procedures, it’s important to keep current on new developments in the field. Follow ophthalmology news here.
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