As medicine advances daily, eye surgeries have also evolved over the years, providing people with new hope for maintaining and restoring their vision. With the help of modern technology and techniques, eye operations have become more precise, safe, and effective in addressing a wide range of ophthalmic problems. Various types of eye operations can be done to treat different ophthalmic conditions. Here are the most common types of eye surgeries.
Types of Eye Operations
Here is a list of the types of eye operations performed for various eye-related issues.
- Vitrectomy
- Cataract surgery
- Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis - LASIK
- Photorefractive Keratectomy - PRK
- Glaucoma surgery
- Vitrectomy
- Corneal transplant
- Retinal detachment surgery
- Refractive lens exchange - RLE
- Strabismus surgery
- Pterygium Surgery
Cataract Surgery
This surgery is performed to treat cataracts. Cataracts are the most common eye condition, causing clouding of the natural lens, which leads to blurry vision. The cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens during cataract surgery. Phacoemulsification is used, where a device breaks down the cataract, which is then aspirated from the eye.
Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis - LASIK
LASIK surgery is performed to correct refractive errors or eyesight issues such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. In LASIK surgery, the laser creates a thin flap in the cornea. The corneal tissue underneath is then reshaped to correct the vision, and the flap is repositioned after correction.
Photorefractive Keratectomy - PRK
This procedure is similar to Lasik but is often prescribed for patients with thinner corneas. In this procedure, the outer layer of the cornea is removed, and the laser shapes the cornea to correct vision. After the surgery, the outer layer ultimately regenerates.
Glaucoma Surgery
Glaucoma is a condition that affects the optic nerve, causing vision loss and increased intraocular pressure. Glaucoma surgery is performed in one of the following ways to reduce pressure.
- Trabeculectomy: In this procedure, a new drainage pathway is created for the fluids in the eye that helps in lowering the pressure
- Laser Trabeculoplasty: This procedure uses a laser to open the drainage channels of the eye
- Tube Shunt surgery: In this procedure, a tiny tube is placed in the eye to drain the excess fluid.
Vitrectomy
Vitreous humor is a gel-like substance in the eye that separates the retina from the lens. In some conditions, such as retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, or macular defects, vitrectomy is prescribed. In vitrectomy, the vitreous gel from the eye is removed and sometimes replaced with a gas bubble or silicon oil to support the retina.
Corneal Transplant
A corneal transplant replaces damaged corneal tissue to improve or restore vision. There are three types of corneal transplants including:
- Penetrating keratoplasty - PK: In this procedure, the entire cornea is replaced
- Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty: In DSEK, only the damaged inner layer of the cornea is replaced.
- Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty: DALK involves the replacement of only the front layers of the cornea, leaving the back layers intact.
Retinal detachment surgery
This surgery repairs a detached retina, which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent vision loss. All of these surgeries are performed with advanced cutting-edge Ophthalmic tools. Similar to the previous types of eye operations, retinal detachment also has some types of its own:
- Pneumatic retinopexy: In this surgery, a gas bubble is injected within the eye to press the retina back into its place.
- Scleral buckling: It involves the placement of a silicon band around the eye to push the wall of the eye inward.
Refractive lens exchange - RLE
This surgery is performed to correct vision in patients with severe refractive errors who are not candidates for LASIK. In the surgery, the natural lens of the eye is replaced with an artificial lens, but without a laser.
Strabismus surgery
This surgery corrects eye misalignment. Misalignment can cause double vision or impair perception, leading to distorted vision. During this operation, the surgeon adjusts the eye muscles, controlling the moment of the eye to align them properly.
Pterygium Surgery
Pterygium is a non-cancerous growth on the conjunctiva that can spread over the cornea and degrade vision. This growth is surgically removed with a graft from the conjunctiva to prevent the regrowth.
These are some of the most common eye operations that offer quick recovery times, minimal discomfort, and higher success rates.