Through your own eyes, clearly
If one has been receiving comments as being a snob along the hallway, moving the broadsheet a bit farther to be readable, and seeing things as if they were double, then probably it is time for an eye check-up – and to get a good pair of eyeglasses as well.
Refractive errors such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism are common eye problems experienced both by young and old Filipinos nowadays; and if before, no cure were reckoned for these certain eye conditions, the erroneous passing of light through the eye could now be corrected by a quick eye laser surgery.
Fatima University Medical Center (FUMC), being one of the leaders in eye surgeries, has recently added the Carl Zeiss Mel 80 Excimer Laser to its latest technologies that specialize in the treatment of eye conditions.
“It is a machine that uses a laser beam to alter the shape of the cornea, in effect, correcting the error of refraction,” explained Dr. Vicente O. Santos, Jr., Chairman of FUMC Eye Laser Center.
An error of refraction is a grade in layman’s term, and it is the one responsible why one may not see so well in distant or in near vision.
Dr. Santos shares further that the Mel 80 helps surgeons correct refractive errors accurately because of the diagnostic protocol that comes with it, which eliminates the guess work on the part of ophthalmologists by testing and making sure that everything is safe.
“There are computerized guidelines that help the surgeons in the technique, and also built-in warnings and alarms that could tell who are good candidates for eye laser surgery and who are at risk for complications,” Dr. Santos shared.
The new technology also has a lock-in ability to follow the eye which is not present in the earlier lasers, “Before, the doctor stops when the patient’s eyes are out of field, but the new excimer laser, being a military technology, takes 200 pictures per second and actually follows the eyes as they move,” Dr. Santos explained.
Another convenience that Mel 80 offers is the fast recovery of one’s normal vision; Dr. Santos said, “It only takes about five minutes per eye in the actual procedure, so the patient can get out of the laser room in about 20 to 30 minutes and enjoy the good vision within the same day.”
No more eye glasses
Clinical results of Mel 80 Excimer Laser are primarily responsible for its being an FDA-approved technology.
Ninety-three percent of patients who underwent laser refractive surgery with Mel 80 were corrected at three months to 20/20 vision or better, while 41 percent were corrected to 20/12.5 six months after treatment.
The reason why there is no 100 percent recovery to 20/20 vision or better visual acuity among patients who are treated with laser refractive surgery is because “only some patients are potential for 20/20 vision,” said Dr. Santos.
“Everyone is capable of getting back their 20/20 vision if the pre-operation examination reveals that they can see 20/20,” he adds.
The ophthalmologists at the FUMC Eye Laser Center assess for the patient’s capability of getting normal vision by using contact lenses and spectacles before the procedure.
Dr. Santos explained that if patients can see 20/20 through eye glasses and contact lenses, then by undergoing laser refractive surgery, afterwards, they can also see 20/20 -- the wearing of corrective glasses or lenses are then completely eliminated.
“Sometimes we go on a step further, and other patients can see 20/15 or 20/10, which is better than 20/20 vision for one is able to see better and at a higher resolution than most normal individuals,” he shared.
There are other reasons why patients will not be able to regain normal vision after laser surgery; however, Dr. Santos affirmed that “FUMC Eye Laser Center has a 95 percent batting average that patients can see 20/20 after undergoing the procedure” if there are no other reasons that can hinder this development,"-Article courtesy of Manila Bulletin.
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