CATARAct

It is the full or partial clouding of the eye lens, which leads to a progressive vision loss. It is mostly an aging-associated ailment, however, it can be congenital or be produced by trauma and it is more frequently found on people that suffer from different diseases such as diabetes.

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Cataracts can be the cause for blurry eyesight, it can make bright colors seem dimmed and diminish night vision. It can also be the reason why your prescription eyeglasses seem to not work or you find yourself in need of new prescription glasses very often.

The most effective treatment is a surgery that consists of extracting the opacified eye lens to replace it for an intraocular acrylic lens. This is done through a 2mm incision by using the latest technology. This surgery takes between 10 to 15 minutes in the hands of Dr. Mejía. For the cataract extraction, local anesthesia or sedation will be used.

Due to the small size of the incision, the recovery is almost immediate and only a few days of rest are needed after the surgery.

Intraocular lenses

Usually, monofocal lenses can be implanted, they provide distant focus but not near or mid-distance focus. In these cases it is necessary for the patient to get reading eyeglasses.

During the preoperative evaluation, the specialist will tell you whether or not you’re a candidate for premium lenses, which not only provide distant focus but also near and mid-distance focus (Presbyopia), freeing you from having to wear eyeglasses for 97% of your activities that need near focus. Intraocular lenses can currently correct pre-existing astigmatism, providing the patient with more clarity after the surgery.

Dr. Carlos Mejía Leiva is the pioneer of the modern small-incision cataract surgery and use of premium lenses in Central America. He has done successful surgeries on thousands of patients, Costa Ricans and foreigners. This has positioned Oftalmejía as a point of national and international reference for cataract surgery with 30 years of experience in ocular surgery.

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Glaucoma

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Eye Floaters

It is a degenerative optic neuropathy and its main consequence is high intraocular pressure.

The development of the ailment is very slow and it does not present well-marked symptoms during its first stages. Thus it is very important to visit the ophthalmologist regularly. An early diagnostic is key to avoid a greater loss of vision.

The different types of glaucoma affect the ocular drainage system by not allowing the intraocular liquid to drain. This causes higher intraocular pressure, which damages the optical nerve, resulting in visual field loss.

Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. There are several types of the disease and it can affect people in all ages, from newborn babies to elders.

However, the most frequent type is the primary open angle glaucoma, which affects mainly people over the age of 50. This illness causes a very elevated intraocular pressure for the correct functioning of the eye. It deteriorates the optic nerve, which is in charge of taking the visual information from the eye to the brain. When this structure gets damaged the patient can become blind.

THE IMPORTANCE OF AN ADEQUATE CONTROL OF GLAUCOMA

Primary open angle glaucoma is a chronic disease that can be controlled but not cured, therefore medical check ups and a treatment are required for life. Here lays the importance of having an adequate control with an ophthalmologist. Through a correct treatment, in most cases, we can halt the progression of the illness and avoid blindness.

Who is at risk?

Anybody can suffer from glaucoma but some people have a higher chance of getting it. The following are risk factors for the development of the disease:

Being over 50 years of age.
Family history of glaucoma.
African descendants.
Previous eye surgeries or injuries.
Diabetes, arterial hypertension or any condition that requires chronic or steroids treatment.
Myopia.

how to treat glaucoma?

Medical treatment (pills or ophthalmic drops) is the first method to be tried out. It is very important for the patient to follow the treatment strictly to acquire the desired effect. If this option fails, the following alternatives should be looked at.

Laser treatment (Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty or SLT). This can also be considered as a primary option for early glaucoma or as a complement to the eye drops.

Surgical Treatment (Trabeculectomy or getting implants). In this case, the medical follow-ups after the surgery are very important, the success of the surgery depends on this.

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Lasik

Eye Floaters

Cataract

Our ophthalmologists are trained to work with the latest technology such as the Nidek-EC 5000, the best for refractive surgery to correct myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia.

This surgery is best known as LASIK (Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis), it has a duration of 20 minutes, it doesn’t require hospitalization and the patient will be able to walk out of the clinic on his own. After the short recovery, our patients can go back to their usual activities such as swimming, diving, driving and reading without using prescription lenses.

The surgery consists of applying the laser on the cornea for a few seconds to change its shape and correct the ailment. A small superficial layer of the cornea is slightly separated with the use of a microkeratome so that a suture is not needed.

During the procedure the patient will remain awake. The eye will be numbed with anesthesia drops, this way the patient won’t feel bothered and the same time, he or she will be aware of what is taking place.

LASIK has eliminated to the maximum the error margin, so that in a couple of days the patient will be able to read and write without prescription glasses.

Some people claim their vision is a bit blurry after the surgery, this is very normal and it is overcome in a few days when the vision becomes completely clear.

LASEK (prk)

Some patients got corneas that have slimmed down, in these cases the LASEK technique is applied directly on the cornea’s surface without separating this layer’s tissue.

The procedure provides the same visual results as LASIK but it takes more time to obtain the final visual sharpness.

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EYE FLOATERs

They look like small specks, dots, circles or cobwebs that seem to move around within your field of vision in one or both eyes. Floaters are usually perceived more easily while reading, looking at the sky or at an empty wall.

Along with the natural process of aging, the vitreous body or the gel that fills the eyeball contracts and it can detach from the retina in some parts without damaging your vision. Floaters are proteins or very small vitreous particles that get condensed when the detachment from the retina occurs.

They seem to be in front of the eye, but in reality they are floating in the vitreous inside the eye. Not always do floaters interfere, however, when they pass by in front of the sight line they block the light and project shadows over the retina.

Floaters are more frequent in people over 45 years old, people that has myopia, after a cataract surgery, YAG laser or those that had swollen eyes in the past.

Are floaters grave?

The floaters that a person sees for a lot of years without any disturbance, generally, are not grave. Although, sometimes, when the vitreous detaches, it rips the retina in one or more major points of adherence reaching a blood vessel causing bleeding. When this happens, the blood clots and/or vitreous fluid can appear as new floaters and be a symptom of a serious problem.

The seriousness of the symptoms can be only determined when the patient is examined by an ophthalmologist. For this reason, if you’ve gotten floaters suddenly you should be evaluated.

wHAT ARE FLASHES?

When the vitreous pulls the retina it can cause flashes, these flashes don’t have a definite shape and can or can’t be related to eye floaters.

Flashes are more frequently observed during the night or in dark spaces, they last a few seconds and can be repetitive.

Sudden flashes are associated with new floaters or a shadow in the field of vision can be a symptom of retinal detachment, therefore an ophthalmologist should examine it immediately.

Sometimes flashes are associated with migraines (headaches caused by spasms of the blood vessels in the brain) These flashes can distort central vision for 10 to 20 minutes and appear as cut lines, usually in both eyes, followed by migraines. Every now and then, the cut lines can appear without any headaches afterwards, this is known as ophthalmic migraine. Migraines can be prevented with treatment and are very common.

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Cataract

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Glaucoma

Lasik

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