Myopia can be corrected by using glasses or contact lenses (concave divergent lenses of negative power).
Once the myopia is stable, it can also be corrected by a surgical intervention, after the surgeon has eliminated all the contra-indications through a complete and thorough pre-assessment. Nowadays, the two available techniques are the excimer laser surgery (PRK or LASIK) and the intra-ocular implants.
The aim of the Excimer Laser surgery is to flatten slightly the cornea by acting either on its surface (photo-refractive surface keratectomy, PRK) or in its thickness (LASIK).
If the Excimer Laser surgery is not indicated, for example if the myopia is very pronounced (more than -8 dioptres), the intra-ocular implant surgery is justified. It consists on introducing a small corrective lens inside the eye.
The required criteria for a surgical treatment are mainly the following :
Once the myopia is stable, it can also be corrected by a surgical intervention, after the surgeon has eliminated all the contra-indications through a complete and thorough pre-assessment. Nowadays, the two available techniques are the excimer laser surgery (PRK or LASIK) and the intra-ocular implants.
The aim of the Excimer Laser surgery is to flatten slightly the cornea by acting either on its surface (photo-refractive surface keratectomy, PRK) or in its thickness (LASIK).
If the Excimer Laser surgery is not indicated, for example if the myopia is very pronounced (more than -8 dioptres), the intra-ocular implant surgery is justified. It consists on introducing a small corrective lens inside the eye.
The required criteria for a surgical treatment are mainly the following :
- to have a stable myopia for 2 or 3 years,
- to be 18 years old or more,
- to not have any other associated eye condition.
The hypermetropia correction is traditionally done by the prescription of glasses or contact lenses.
Once the hypermetropia is stable, it can equally be corrected through a surgical intervention (refractive surgery), after the surgeon has eliminated all the contra-indications through a complete and thorough pre-assessment.
The required criteria for a surgical treatment are the following :
Once the hypermetropia is stable, it can equally be corrected through a surgical intervention (refractive surgery), after the surgeon has eliminated all the contra-indications through a complete and thorough pre-assessment.
- When the hypermetropia is moderate (up to about 3 diopters), it can be treated with LASIK using the excimer laser. In this case, the intervention aims to modify the curvature of the cornea by digging a peripheral ring which causes a central bulge. The intervention lasts less than 15 minutes and the laser itself a few seconds.
- When the hypermetropia is stronger (superior to 3-4 dioptries), it can be treated by inserting an intra-ocular implant.
The required criteria for a surgical treatment are the following :
- to have a stable hypermetropia,
- to have at least 18 years old,
- to not have any associated eye condition.
The astigmatism correction is traditionally done by the prescription of glasses or contact lenses.
It is sometimes possible to perform a surgical intervention to modify the curvature of the cornea giving it a more round shape. This can be done with the Excimer laser that is capable of sculpting a cornea with great precision. This laser can be applied on the surface (photo-keratectomy or PRK) or on the thickness of the corneal storm (LASIK).
These laser procedures are done under topical anaesthesia (eye drops) as a day case (does not require hospitalisation), and they last about 15 minutes.
In order to perform the surgery, the surgeon does a full pre-assessment to exclude any contra-indications and to choose the best techniques for each case.
It is sometimes possible to perform a surgical intervention to modify the curvature of the cornea giving it a more round shape. This can be done with the Excimer laser that is capable of sculpting a cornea with great precision. This laser can be applied on the surface (photo-keratectomy or PRK) or on the thickness of the corneal storm (LASIK).
These laser procedures are done under topical anaesthesia (eye drops) as a day case (does not require hospitalisation), and they last about 15 minutes.
In order to perform the surgery, the surgeon does a full pre-assessment to exclude any contra-indications and to choose the best techniques for each case.
The correction is done differently for distant vision and close up vision. When the distant vision is good, we can use simple lenses. However it will be necessary to remove them or to look over them to see distant objects (this is where the narrow lenses and the half-moon frames come from).
When the distant vision is being corrected, or when we want to see better for a medium distance (between more or less 40cm and 2,50m), we use either the double focus lenses or the triple focus lenses or even better the progressive lenses.
The alternative to the glasses are the multifocal contact lenses. They are more and more performant and very well tolerated.
The alternative to the contact lenses is surgery which is in full swing. At the moment it is only indicated in certain specific cases, after a personalised pre-assessment.
When the distant vision is being corrected, or when we want to see better for a medium distance (between more or less 40cm and 2,50m), we use either the double focus lenses or the triple focus lenses or even better the progressive lenses.
The alternative to the glasses are the multifocal contact lenses. They are more and more performant and very well tolerated.
The alternative to the contact lenses is surgery which is in full swing. At the moment it is only indicated in certain specific cases, after a personalised pre-assessment.