EYE CONDITIONS... CATARACT ASSESSMENT MACULAR DEGENERATION FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY INTRAVITREAL/EYE INJECTIONS AT ARMADALE EYE CLINIC

A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens in the eye. Cataract is very common; the main cause being advancing age.

Cataract surgery is generally considered to have a good safety profile, and many patients experience improved vision following surgery.

Cataract surgery involves surgical removal of the cataract with an ultrasound probe and then insertion of an acrylic intra-ocular lens. There are multiple lens options available including the multifocal lenses. You will need to discuss what will best suite you when you consult your Ophthalmologist.

We aim to achieve the best visual outcomes possible for each patient, noting that results can vary depending on individual circumstances.

Intravitreal eye injections are commonly used for treating disease such as macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion and diabetic macular disease.

Eye injections are done in the clinic. The procedure is quick. A local anaesthetic injection, drops or gel are used to relieve discomfort and the injections are well tolerated in most cases.

The risk of developing an intra-ocular infection after an injection is low but not zero. We follow strict infection-control procedures to reduce the risk of infection.

It is quite common to develop a membrane behind the intra-ocular lens after undergoing cataract surgery. This is not a “second cataract” but can cause gradual clouding of vision after having cataract surgery. We use a YAG laser to remove this layer. The procedure is performed in the rooms, is usually brief and generally well tolerated, and many patients notice improvement in vision soon after.

Patients can develop some floaters after the laser, however, these usually resolve over a few weeks.

A laser iridotomy is sometimes needed to treat or prevent the development of angle closure glaucoma. The laser treatment is usually brief, and most patients experience minimal discomfort. Your doctor may elect to treat one or both eyes on the same day. The procedure is performed in our rooms. The appointment is usually brief, and most patients are able to return home the same day. Vision often improves in the days following the procedure, however recovery time varies between individuals.

Retinal tears can develop when the vitreous body detaches from the retina. A small retinal tear can lead to a retinal detachment if not treated urgently. Argon laser retinopexy is done in the rooms. The treatment is quick. There can sometimes be some discomfort with the treatment. You may need more than one attempt to completely treat the retinal tear.

Pan-Retinal Photocoagulation (PRP) is used to treat retina which has become ischaemic (lack of oxygen). The laser burns the diseased retina and prevents the development of new blood vessels in the back and front of the eye. Failure to treat with PRP when indicated can lead to permanent irreversible vision loss. The laser is done in the clinic. The treatment can be quite painful and as such is usually completed over several sessions.

An A-scan is used to determine the power of the intra-ocular lens required for cataract surgery. The procedure is quick and is usually done on the day of your cataract assessment. We use a Haag-Streit Lenstar biometer with the Barrett formula in our rooms to support accurate measurements for surgical planning.

B-scan is a specific ocular ultrasound machine. We use this to visualise and measure lesions in the back of the eye. It is a very useful tool when there is no view into the back of the eye such as cases of dense cataract or vitreous haemorrhage.

OCT (Ocular Coherence Tomography) is a diagnostic imaging tool which helps us visualise the micro-anatomy of the back of the eye. It is an essential tool in the management of macular disease and glaucoma.

Fluorescein angiograms are used to visualise the retinal blood-flow. This is a very useful diagnostic tool in all retinal vascular diseases including macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion and central serous retinopathy. 

A small cannula is placed in the vein and dye is injected into your circulation. Retinal photographs are then taken with the dye circulating through the retina.

The procedure is done in our rooms. We use Heidelberg and Optos fundus cameras as part of our retinal imaging. There is a small risk of allergy to the dye which your Ophthalmologist will discuss with you before having this test.

Visual field testing is essential in the management of glaucoma and other diseases of the retina, optic nerve and brain. We use the Humphrey Visual Field analyser with the SITA Faster program, which is designed to reduce test time while maintaining clinically useful results. The test in done in the clinic and can take up to 5 minutes per eye.