Everything you need to know
Treatments
Established in 2013, Vision Scotland are leading specialists in the field of ophthalmology in Scotland. We aim to achieve clinical excellence and a patient centred approach for everyone we treat.
Established in 2013, Vision Scotland are leading specialists in the field of ophthalmology in Scotland. We aim to achieve clinical excellence and a patient centred approach for everyone we treat.
Our leading clinicians provide eye care of consistent excellence. Vision Scotland surgeons and optometrists specialise in refractive eye surgery and eyelid surgery, emphasising safety over everything else. We work with the latest techniques and research to ensure you always receive up to date, safe and clinically excellent care.
Cataract surgery is the only way to treat cataracts – when the natural lens in the eye becomes cloudy, making it difficult to see. During surgery, the eyes natural lens is gently broken down and removed from the eye and replaced with an artificial lens. This allows the patient to see clearly again. The procedure is quick, usually pain free.
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) is identical to modern cataract surgery. Both operations involve replacing the eye’s natural lens with an artificial lens implant. The only difference is that cataract surgery is performed mainly to correct blur or light scatter caused by a misty natural lens, whereas RLE is performed to reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Implantable contact lenses are implanted in the eye for vision correction without removing the natural lens. There are two types of implantable contact lens – one that sits in front of the pupil and one that sits behind the iris. Young patients who are short or long sighted (with or without astigmatism) may be suitable for ICL.
Keratoconus and other corneal ectasias are conditions that result in distortion of the smooth curvature of the cornea due to insufficient tissue stiffness. This resulting distortion blurs vision through a combination of increasing short sight and astigmatism. Corneal cross linking (CXL) induces tissue stiffening that stops keratoconus progressing, and research has shown that some patients also benefit from a partial reversal of their keratoconus as well. In rare situations CXL may be used to treat problems following on from LASIK.
There are lots of different types of glaucoma but the most common type is called Chronic Simple Glaucoma. It is a condition that gets more common with age. There are few symptoms for glaucoma until the condition is advanced.
It begins as an increase in pressure inside the eyes and this persists over time. This progresses to cause damage at the back of the eye. Nerve damage at the back of the eye can cause peripheral vision problems.
The brain compensates for any initial peripheral vision loss so potential blank patches in vision won’t be noticed. Gradually these blank passages will enlarge and affect your central vision.
Macular degeneration (MD) affects the macula, a small area at the centre of the retina which is located at the back of the eye. The macula is responsible for what we see straight in front of us, allowing us to see fine detail for activities such as reading and writing, as well as our ability to see colour. The condition is most common in people over 65. Vision can be severely affected if the cells of the macula are damaged and stop working. Symptoms include blurred vision or distortion, with straight lines appearing wavy and objects appearing to be an unusual size or shape. In more advanced cases, sufferers develop a blank patch or dark spot in the centre of their sight which makes reading, writing and recognising some objects difficult.
Ptosis, also known as blepharoptosis is when the upper eyelid droops downward. Eyelid droop can be hereditary or can be caused by damage to the eye. The drooping may also increase as we get older and after being awake for a long time. The levator muscle that lifts your upper eyelid stretches and weakens as we get older or tired, causing the eyelid to sag.
A droopy eyelid can eventually cover the pupil and reduce vision. If this is the case then surgery is required to regain full sight. If severe enough and left untreated, the drooping eyelid can cause other conditions, such as amblyopia or astigmatism. This is why it is important to have the disorder treated promptly (especially in children) before it can interfere with vision development.
Treatment may not be necessary in cases where there is no impact on vision but may still be desired for aesthetic reasons.
During surgery for ptosis, the surgeon will make a small incision and stitch to tighten the muscle that lifts your upper eyelid.
Ectropion is where the eyelid droops away from the eye and turns outwards. This leaves the inner eyelid surface exposed and prone to irritation.
Entropion is where the eyelid, is turned inward so that your eyelashes rub against your eyeball, causing discomfort.
For both conditions, it is more usual to occur on the lower eyelid and can happen on one eye or both eyes.
Ectropion and entropion are more common in older adults. In severe cases, entropian and ectropion can affect the entire length of the eyelid. In less severe cases it may only affect one segment of the eyelid. Eye drops may give some relief to the symptoms of ectropion and entropion but to fully correct the conditions, surgery is required.
(including cosmetic eye lid surgery and lump & bumps)
Eyelid surgery comprises lifts of the upper or lower lids (blephoplasty), most commonly carried out to improve to effects of aging which can cause the skin to droop and sag. Cosmetic eye lid surgery is carried out to tighten the skin around the eyes and restore a more youthful appearance.
The most common lumps and bumps that appear on the eyelid are either a stye or a chalazion. Both affect the eyelid and usually appear as a small lump. These can be removed as a minor operation carried out under local anaesthetic as an outpatient.
Posterior Capsule Opacification (PCO) is a possible complication of Cataract or Lens Replacement Surgery.
The only treatment for cataracts is surgical intervention so for many people, the risk of PCO is unavoidable. In cataract surgery or RLE, the eyes natural lens must be removed from the eyes lens capsule and replaced by an artificial lens. This initially restores high visual quality but unfortunately, in a small proportion of patients, a natural process of scarring can occur on the capsule. This causes the posterior section of the lens capsule to thicken, and then become opaque. Treatment for PCO is YAG laser capsulotomy. It is a quick, painless procedure that is carried out as an outpatient. Results are immediate and usually highly satisfactory.