Most refractive errors can be corrected (or at least improved) by means of Refractive Surgery. This is a generic term, which comprises both Laser Refractive Surgery and correction by means of lens implants inside the eye. The latter is called Phakic intraocular lens (IOL) surgery.
Most refractive errors can be corrected (or at least improved) by means of Refractive Surgery. This is a generic term, which comprises both Laser Refractive Surgery and correction by means of lens implants inside the eye.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a vision condition which makes it difficult to focus on close objects. During middle age, usually beginning in the 40s, people experience blurred vision at near points, such as when reading, sewing or working at the computer.
Presbyopia is a natural part of the ageing process of the eye. It is not a disease, and it cannot be prevented. Presbyopia is diagnosed with a routine eye examination. Eyeglasses with bifocal or progressive addition lenses are the most common correction for presbyopia.
Posterior Vitreous Detachment
PVD is a common degenerative change, which affects one or both eyes in many people after middle age. It may present earlier in shortsighted patients or those who have sustained traumas to the eyes.
Thickening of the jelly casts shadows on the retina and are seen as floating shapes. These black “floaters”in your vision move with the eye and then settle as the eye rests. These are often described by patients as a “cobweb” or “insects”.
You may also be aware of flashing lights, like little flickers in the outer periphery. Usually these do not highlight a problem, however, it is important to have the eye thoroughly checked, as occasionally a retinal tear or a retinal detachment may occur.
Post-Operative Instructions
Following Retinal Surgery on leaving the hospital you are advised to have a quiet evening at home and to avoid strenuous exercise.
For General Anaesthetic patients, as above and:
- Do not drive a vehicle
- Do not make any crucial financial decision
- Do not eat heavy meals or drink alcohol for 24 hours after being discharged
Paediatric Strabismus
Facts
A squint is a condition where your eyes look in different directions. One eye turns inwards, outwards, upwards or downwards while the other eye looks forwards. The medical name for a squint is strabismus.
The misalignment of the eyes can be caused by different factors. It can be an early developmental problem where the brain struggles to identify that the two eyes should work as a pair. It can be caused by an abnormality with the eye muscles or an uncorrected vision problem, such as myopia (shortsighted), hypermetropia (longsighted) or Astigmatism.
When to see a doctor?
Squints in children are relatively common. They usually develop before a child is five years of age, but they can appear later.
Up to around three months of age, many babies occasionally squint as their vision develops. This is normal and nothing to worry about. If your child still has a squint after this age, you should visit your Doctor. It is very important that a squint is picked up and treated as early as possible to avoid vision problems developing. If a squint is identified when a child is young, there is a good chance that it will be successfully treated.
Can adults get a squint?
Occasionally, squints that have been corrected during childhood reappear in adulthood. New squints in adults, without any history of a squint in childhood, can be caused by problems with the ocular muscles and/or the eye movement system. You should visit your Doctor as soon as possible if you develop a new squint. They should refer you to an ophthalmologist who will carry out an examination to identify the cause.
Squints that affect adults may cause double vision because the brain has been trained to collect images from both eyes. Squints may also cause a cosmetic problem in adults; in such cases, the appearance of a squint can lead to low self-esteem
What is Amblyopia?
Amblyopia is also known as a ‘lazy eye’. Amblyopia is an early childhood condition where a child’s eyesight in one eye does not develop as it should. The problem is usually in just one eye, but can sometimes affect both of them. Amblyopia affects approximately 2% of children.
When a patient has amblyopia the brain focuses on one eye more than the other, virtually ignoring the ‘lazy eye’. If that eye is not stimulated properly the visual brain cells do not mature normally.
What causes a ‘lazy eye’?
Anything that interferes with clear vision in either eye during the critical period (birth to 6 years of age) can cause amblyopia. The most common causes of amblyopia are constant strabismus (constant turn of one eye), anisometropia (different vision/prescriptions in each eye), and/or obstruction of an eye due to cataract, trauma, lid droop, etc.
Why does my child need to wear a patch?
Occlusion (patching) is used to make a lazy eye work on its own and so improve the vision by encouraging the development of the nerve pathways from that eye to the brain. The patch is worn over the good eye and the amount of time the patch must be worn is decided by the Orthoptist/Ophthalmologist and relates to the extent of the visual problem. If patching is implemented early on, a good level of vision can be achieved. When patching is started in an older child, it is more difficult to achieve good vision.
What is an Orthoptist?
An Orthoptist specialises in diagnosing and treating visual problems involving eye movement and alignment.
The Orthoptist at Moorfields Dubai provides clinical support to all the specialist services at the hospital. She sees both adults and children who have strabismus (a squint), disorders of eye movements, or binocular vision.
What is an Optician?
An Optician will see adults and children for refraction; with this assessment, an optometrist can determine the optical power of the eye, the presence of any “refractive” error that requires spectacle correction, and the best vision that an eye can achieve with an appropriate correction. Younger children have drops to make the pupil (the dark center of the eye) larger and this makes the test more accurate.
What is an Ophthalmologist?
An Ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems. Since ophthalmologists perform operations on eyes, they are considered to be both surgical and medical specialists. They will check both the structure and health of the eye. They will make the final decision on the management and will do any surgical procedures required.
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a progressive thinning of the cornea. The cornea is the clear front window of the eye, which, along with the intra-ocular lens, focuses light on to the retina. The cornea normally is a smooth, round dome-shaped structure; however in keratoconus it becomes very thin and irregular and it starts to protrude from the centre or below the centre like a cone. This causes blurry vision that is often not completely correctable with glasses.
The disease is multifactorial in origin but there is a strong genetic component which makes it more frequent in certain parts of the world or within certain families.
Hypermetropia
A refractive condition of the eye in which vision is better for distant objects than for near objects. It can be called far sightedness or hypermetropia. Symptoms of Hypermetropia can include; blurred vision, asthenopia (eye strain), accommodative dysfunction, binocular dysfunction, amblyopia and strabismus. It results from the eyeball being smaller than average, causing images to be focused behind the retina. Hypermetropia should be diagnosed by a qualified Optometrist, Ophthalmic Surgeon or Eye Specialist.
A full Optometric Examination should be performed to assess the degree and extent of the problem. Eyeglasses and contact lenses are the treatment of choice for most people with far sightedness but refractive surgery can also cure some cases of hyperopia.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Introduction
- Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and leads to high blood sugar, resulting in retinal disease, which can interfere with its ability to transmit images to the brain through the optic nerve.
- Blood vessels in the retina play an important role in supplying it with oxygen and nutrients, which keep it healthy and working effectively.
Diabetic Retinopathy can result in damage to the blood vessels; these may then bleed, leak or become blocked leading to cell damage in the retina itself.
There are varying forms and levels of severity of diabetic retinopathy – for example, when the retina becomes very damaged, new blood vessels may grow on it and can burst, leading to bleeding and blurred vision. If the macula (the central area of the retina) is affected – this is called Diabetic Maculopathy – the disease has reached a much more advanced and serious stage.
High blood pressure combined with diabetes leads to an even more dangerous condition.
Types of Diabetic Retinopathy
Non Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Generally, this type of diabetic retinopathy does not affect vision because at the initial stage there are just a few enlarged blood vessels, with very minimal bleeding and leaking in the retina.
An examination of the retina by an ophthalmologist will reveal some marks indicating the presence of the condition.
Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
This condition can lead to seriously impaired vision as blood vessels grow in the retina and the threat is bleeding from these vessels which can lead to retinal damage, and even to retinal detachment at the back of the eye. Laser treatment is essential to avoid serious long term damage.
Diabetic Maculopathy
Diabetic maculopathy occurs when blood vessels leak into the central area of the retina, which can lead to it swelling and affecting the quality of vision. Laser procedures, injections or surgery are the main treatment options.
Exudates are deposits in the retina from leaky vessels. Haemorrhages in the retina of varying sizes.
Microaneurysms.
Optic Nerve with abnormal new vessels that have bled. Scars from previous laser treatment.
Vitreous haemorrhage in front of the retina.
End stage proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy with fibrousbands.
Retinal Detachment.
Cross sectional scan showing thickening of the macula and exudates.
Exudates (yellow) and haemorrhages in the central retina
Can it be prevented?
Compliance with treatment for diabetes helps control blood sugar levels and blood pressure and so the serious complications of diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy.
Treatment compliance along with regular check ups to monitor blood pressure will help avoid the serious long term effects of diabetes; positive lifestyle choices from balanced diet to regular exercise and not smoking all have a beneficial effect.
What can I do?
Early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy will generally help prevent serious vision loss for most patients and regular visits to the doctor and ophthalmologist are an essential part of the monitoring process.
Ocularist
[:en]An Ocularist makes and fits artificial eyes. Our aim at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai is to create a hand-crafted eye with a very natural look indistinguishable from the real eye. Made from acrylic, these artificial eyes are very strong, easy to maintain and are comfortable to wear. The Ocularist also provides a polishing and repair service.
To visit Our Staff Section click here[:ar]يقوم أخصائي العيون الاصطناعية بصناعة وتركيب العيون الاصطناعية. نحن في مستشفى مورفيلدز دبي للعيون نحرص على توفير عيون مصنوعة يدوياً تتميز بمظهر طبيعي تماماً ولا يمكن تمييزها عن العين الحقيقية. تصنع العيون الاصطناعية من الأكريليك، وهي لهذا تتمتع بصلابة عالية كما تسهل العناية بها وهي مريحة عند الاستخدام. كما يوفر أخصائي العيون الاصطناعية خدمات صقل العيون الاصطناعية وإصلاحها.
لزيارة صفحة طاقم العمل، اضغط هنا.[:]
Ophthalmologist
[:en]Patients who need further specialist treatments for their eyes go to an Ophthalmologist. An Ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specialises in the medical and surgical care of the eyes, visual system and in the prevention of eye diseases and injuries.
They provide the full range of care including routine eye examinations, diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders and diseases, including prescriptions for eyeglasses, medications, surgery, and management of eye problems that are caused by systemic illnesses.
An ophthalmic eye examination might include history (general, family, medications, allergies…etc), examination of the vision acuity (clarity and sharpness), physical examination, and focimetry (assessment of spectacles) depending on the patient case.
In addition, an Ophthalmologist can specialise in specific areas of eye care such as glaucoma, cornea, oculoplastic (abnormalities which mainly affect the function and aesthetics of, the eyelids and lacrimal system), paediatric ophthalmology (including genetic abnormalities including crossed eyes and lazy eyes), and diseases that affect the retina – a tissue that lines the inner surface of the eye.
Click here to read more on our Optomertists
To visit Examinations Image Library click here
To read more on Parents and Children, click here
[:ar]يزور المريض أخصائي طب العيون إذا احتاج إلى علاج أكثر تخصصاً. أخصائي طب العيون هو طبيب يتخصص في الرعاية الطبية والجراحية للعيون وجهاز الإبصار وفي الوقاية من أمراض وإصابات العيون.
ويقدم أخصائي طب العيون طيفاً متكاملاً من خدمات الرعاية الصحية، بما في ذلك فحوصات العين الدورية، وتشخيص وعلاج اضطرابات وأمراض العيون، بما في ذلك وصف النظارات الطبية والأدوية والجراحة وإدارة الحالات وأمراض العيون الناتجة عن أمراض أخرى.
قد يتضمن فحص العيون لدى أخصائي طب العيون مراجعة للتاريخ الطبي (التاريخ الصحي عموماً والتاريخ العائلي والأدوية المستخدمة والحساسيات وما إلى ذلك)، وفحص دقة الإبصار (الوضوح وحدة النظر)، وفحص يدوي وتقييم للعدسات المستخدمة (focimetry) وذلك بحسب حالة المريض.
وبالإضافة إلى ما سبق، قد يتخصص طبيب العيون في مجالات محددة من طب وصحة العيون مثل الجلوكوما والقرنية والجراحة التجميلية للعيون (وهي علاج لتشوهات تؤثر على وظيفة ومظهر جفن العين ونظام تصريف الدمع) والأمراض التي تؤثر على شبكية العين – وهي النسيج المبطّن لسطح العين الداخلي.
لزيارة مكتبة الصور الامتحانية اضغط هنا.
لقراءة المزيد عن الآباء والأطفال ، انقر هنا.
لزيارة موظفي القسم انقر هنا.[:]
Orthoptist
[:en]Children who need to see an eye Specialist will initially go for a review with an Orthoptist – a health professional who specialises in eye movement problems and disorders that affect how the eyes work together.
These conditions are typically diagnosed in childhood; so Orthoptists are highly experienced in examining children of all ages and they play a central role in the evaluation and treatment of childhood eye disorders.
It is the Orthoptist who comes to school to do the vision screening of pupils. In an orthoptic examination, an Orthoptist will perform an assessment which includes checking for vision clarity (20/20, 20/40 vision…etc), whether eyes are functioning and moving together and detecting any abnormal conditions such as lazy eyes.
Orthoptists are not medical doctors but are highly skilled Specialists.
Patients who go to an Optometrist to be checked for glasses; an Orthoptist to examine a lazy eye; or an Ophthalmologist to perform laser eye surgery, all have one thing in common. They benefit from a team of eye care Specialists that work closely together to help maintain good eye health and provide skilled diagnoses and treatment when needed.
To visit Examinations Image Library click here
To read more on Parents and Children, click here[:ar]عندما يحتاج الأطفال زيارة أخصائي للعيون فإنهم في البداية يزورون أخصائي تقويم النظر – وهو مختص في تشخيص مشاكل واضطرابات حركة العين التي قد تؤثر على عمل العينين معاً.
ويتم عادة تشخيص هذه المشاكل في مرحلة الطفولة، وهذا يعني أن أخصائي تقويم النظر يملك خبرة واسعة في فحص الأطفال من مختلف الأعمار، ويلعب دوراً أساسياً في تقييم وعلاج اضطرابات العيون لدى الأطفال.
أخصائي تقويم النظر هو الشخص الذي يزور المدارس لفحص عيون الطلاب. ويقوم أخصائي تقويم النظر في أثناء فحص العين بتقييم مدى وضوح الرؤية (قياس النظر 20/20 أو 20/40، …) وما إذا كانت وظائف العيون سليمة، وما إذا كانت العينان تعملان بشكل متناسق معاً، كما يحاول الكشف عن أي مشاكل في العين مثل العين الكسولة.
أخصائي تقويم النظر ليس طبيباً لكنه أخصائي متمرس ومؤهل.
المرضى الذين يزورون أخصائي فحص النظر لتركيب نظارات طبية، أو أخصائي تقويم النظر لفحص العين الكسولة، أو أخصائي طب العيون لإجراء عملية تصحيح البصر بالليزر – جميعهم يشتركون في أمر واحد. فهم يستفيدون من خبرات فريق متكامل من أخصائيي صحة العيون يعملون معاً بهدف الحفاظ على صحة العيون وتقديم خدمات التشخيص والعلاج لمن يحتاجها.
لزيارة مكتبة الصور الامتحانية اضغط هنا.
لقراءة المزيد عن الآباء والأطفال ، انقر هنا.[:]
Anti-angiogenic (anti-VEGF) drugs
[:en]This treatment involves having an injection into your eye to treat certain retinal conditions that cause abnormal blood vessels to grow and leak under the retina. Patients with these conditions can lose central vision when abnormal blood vessels bleed under the retina at the back of the eye. A series of injections of anti-VEGF medicines are given into the back of your eye to stop these blood vessels growing and help control the leaking blood. This treatment is highly effective in preserving central vision in many people.
Common conditions in which it may occur are Wet age-related macular degeneration, Myopic choroidal neovascularization, Diabetic macular oedema, Retinal vein occlusion and any other retinal conditions that causes fluid to leak under the retina.[:ar]يتضمن هذا العلاج حقن العينين لعلاج حالات معينة في الشبكية قد تتسبب بتشكل أوعية دموية جديدة تنمو وتنزف تحت الشبكية. وقد تؤدي هذه المشكلة إلى فقدان الرؤية المركزية لدى بعض المرضى وذلك عندما تنزف الأوعية الدموية الجديدة تحت الشبكية في مؤخرة العين. وفي هذه الحالة يتم إعطاء المريض مجموعة من حقن الأدوية المضادة لتشكل الأوعية الدموية الجديدة في مؤخرة العين للمساعدة بالسيطرة على النزيف. هذا العلاج فعال جداً في الحفاظ على الرؤية المركزية لدى العديد من المرضى.
ومن الحالات الشائعة التي قد يحدث فيها تشكل لأوعية دموية جديدة مرض الضمور البقعي الرطب المرتبط بتقدم السن، واتساع الأوعية الدموية المشيمية في حالات قصر النظر، والوذمة البقعية الناجمة عن مرض السكري، وانسداد الوريد الشبكي، وغيرها من مشاكل الشبكية التي تتسبب بتسرب السوائل تحت الشبكية.[:]