News

4 Nov 2022

Do’s and Don’ts of wearing and removing specs

Dr. Rushad Shroff is a Cornea, Refractive and Cataract Surgeon at Shroff Eye Centre in Delhi NCR. We asked him about options for someone who does not want to wear specs.

 

Shroff Eye Centre is one of the oldest and most reputed eye hospitals in Delhi NCR.

 

“Patients often want to know what the best way is to get rid of their specs,” says Dr. Rushad Shroff, “and we always tell them the same thing- it depends on you.”

Dr. Rushad Shroff is a Cornea, Refractive and Cataract Surgeon at Shroff Eye Centre in Delhi NCR. We asked him about options for someone who does not want to wear specs.

“What I mean when I say it depends on you- is that we must see if your cornea, and your eye, is fit for the procedure and what your visual needs are. For example, if you play contact sports like kickboxing where there is a chance of injury regularly or are in the armed forces, then contact lenses or LASIK may not be an option; it may be better for you to get a PRK done instead.”

 

What are the options available for specs removal?

 

Contact lenses– if you don’t want a surgical procedure

 

LASIK – uses a laser to correct the shape of your cornea after creating a flap in the cornea. This is broadly of two types Blade and blade-free LASIK or Femto LASIK which includes ILASIK, Contura etc.

 

Lenticule extraction procedures – In these procedures the LASER changes the shape of the Cornea without creating a flap. A circular disc of corneal tissue (created by the LASER) is removed from the cornea with the help of an instrument to reshape the cornea. SMILE and CLEAR are lenticule-based procedures.

 

PRK– Photorefractive Keratectomy is a procedure for specs removal, better for those who have thin corneas or are in combat-related professions

 

ICL (Implantable collamer lens) – for those who are not good candidates for either LASIK or PRK. In this a lens with appropriate power is placed inside the eye in front of the natural lens of the eye.

 

What is the difference between iLASIK, Contura and SMILE?

All three differ slightly in their technique of eye power correction. In Femto LASIK (Contura and iLASIK) a Femto Laser is used to create a flap in the cornea following which an Excimer Laser is used to correct the corneal curvature and correct eye power. SMILE uses lenticule extraction- correcting the corneal shape by excising the lenticule which is a part of the cornea. All three give good results and very similar results in the long term.

 

Who can get LASIK done?

For LASIK and other refractive procedures to be performed safely, you must be

• More than 18 years old
• Your eye power should be stable for at least one year
• Your corneal thickness should be adequate
• If you have any other cornea or retina problems, refractive surgery may not be advisable for you
• If you’re pregnant or breast feeding, it’s best to wait till the hormones in your body return to pre-pregnancy or pre-lactation levels
• If you have systemic problems like Diabetes or autoimmune diseases- these procedures may not be for you.

Is LASIK safe?

Yes, LASIK and other refractive surgeries are very safe as long as we follow the safety guidelines and precautions properly. However, it’s good to remember that these are medical procedures- the risk of complications, although very low, is always present.

 

Can you see well after the procedure?

Yes, most patients find an almost immediate difference after iLASIK, Contura, ICL and SMILE. Vision continues to improve over the next few days and most patients get clear crisp vision back in about a week. With PRK you may not find an immediate difference, but vision becomes clear and crisp in about two to three weeks in most cases.

 

Is LASIK painful?

No, we use numbing eye drops for the procedure- this ensures that most patients do not experience any pain during the procedure. Mild discomfort may be present after the procedure as your tissue heals- most patients get good relief with simple painkillers.

 

Are there any precautions after LASIK procedures?

Yes, some simple precautions must be followed for a short time after LASIK such as,