GLAUCOMA AND RETINA LASER PROCEDURES
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a procedure to treat glaucoma by lowering intraocular pressure and thereby prevent vision loss and blindness. SLT lowers intraocular pressure and is ideal for patients who suffer from open-angle glaucoma.
How does SLT work?
Energy from the laser targets and penetrates the eye’s natural drainage system. Drainage tissue inside the eye undergoes a biological and chemical change. After treatment, fluid drains better than it did before. It takes two to three months for the new and improved drainage system to kick in.
How do you perform SLT?
The laser procedure is performed in the rooms, is painless and only takes five minutes per eye to perform. A laser hits the trabecular meshwork, which drains fluid from the eye. The laser’s energy stimulates the bodies immune system within the trabecular meshwork. Once the drainage system is stimulated, more fluid leaves the eye. While SLT isn’t always a cure for glaucoma, it does lower eye pressure and minimises the risk of permanent vision loss.
What is retinal laser surgery?
The use of laser technology goes beyond PRK and LASIK surgery to restore vision. Today, lasers are used to treat a spectrum of retinal conditions like retinal detachment, retinal tears, vein occlusion, age-related macular degeneration, macular oedema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
How do you perform retinal laser surgery?
Argon lasers are typically used to treat retinal conditions. One example of this condition is a retinal tear, break or hole that occurs when the vitreous gel pulls the retina. Previous eye surgery or trauma causes retinal tears. Lasers emit energy to fuse edges of the tear to underlying tissue at the backend of the eye.
These lasers also seal torn blood vessels in the eye that occur due to a diabetic eye disease. Diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss and leads to the formation of abnormal blood vessels or occluded veins in the retina. Poor blood flow deprives retinal cells of oxygen. Argon lasers reduce the leakage of fluids and prevent bleeding from these abnormal vessels.
Floaters obstruct visual fields and affect our daily lifestyle. YAG laser enables the surgeon to visualise and target floaters, which are condensed clumps of the natural jell in the eye. The laser beam from YAG emits energy to break up floaters.
FAQ
Your Questions Answered
We have compile a list of some of our most frequently asked questions to give you more information on the conditions we treat and the procedures we perform.
TESTIMONIALS
What our Patients have to say
"There was never a shadow of doubt in my mind that I had chosen the right specialist. I can honestly say my eyesight can now be compared with that of a teenager. For those of you, regardless of your age, that need any sort of eye treatment, I have no hesitation in saying - look no further."
- John Wittstock, Cataract