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The following article was published in Your Health Magazine. Our mission is to empower people to live healthier.
Michael J. Dodd, MD
New Technology In Eye Care
Maryland Eye Associates
. http://marylandeyeassociates.com

New Technology In Eye Care

Computers have changed our lives in many ways. They have helped with rapid technology advances; for example designing more efficient engines. This technology advance also applies to medicine and especially the field of ophthalmology.

Advances are made at an astonishing rate; everything from the way we determine visual acuity to new surgical techniques. Eye specialists are kept busy trying to maintain their skills and diagnostic acumen.

Many ophthalmologists have re-learned their technique for performing cataract surgery 5 or 6 times with our new advancing technology. Twenty five years ago, a routine cataract operation took 45 minutes, was performed with magnifying loops (glasses), did not replace the optical deficit after removing the cataract, and required 4-6 tiny sutures to close the relatively large wound. Today the routine cataract surgery take 8-10 minutes, uses an operating microscope, replaces the cataract with a tiny foldable lens implant and this is all performed through a 3 mm incision which rarely requires a suture to close. It seems that newer lens implants are developed every month. Implants traditionally are placed in the eye to focus for distance. Reading glasses are required for near. The newest implants are designed to focus for both distance and near. The next generation will allow distance, intermediate and near; just like a 20 year old. In addition, astigmatism can be reduced or eliminated at the time of cataract surgery.

Glaucoma treatment has improved with many new drops to lower eye pressure. In years gone by there was available only 1 or 2 drops, and they were not very effective or had significant side effects. Patients with advanced glaucoma underwent surgery to lower the eye pressure. At that time the surgery was prolonged, risky and often failed. Today we have a dozen types of drops and they are all more effective than in the past. For those patients who need glaucoma surgery the first step is to try a laser treatment. This is usually very effective at lowering eye pressure. In those few patients who do not respond the drops or laser therapy a filtering glaucoma operation can be done safely and effectively. The new surgery techniques are quicker, safer and more effective.

Most of us are acquainted with the miracle of LASIK surgery to correct optical errors in the eye. This laser modality was discovered in the mid 1980s. The newest laser called the femtosecond laser is now used to create the surgical cap in the first part of the LASIK procedure. But now the femtosecond laser is also being used to perform corneal transplant surgery. It can also be used to remove corneal scars in eyes with old injuries. Studies are ongoing to have the femtosecond laser aid in cataract surgery by performing perfect corneal incisions which will self-seal.

Is it possible to expect that the entire cataract and lens implant surgery will some day be performed robotically? That seems like a stretch now, but who knows?

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