Laser Eye Surgery for Aging Eyes

13 Mar 2013

Eyesight tends to deteriorate as we get older; loss of clear vision can be un-nerving and the reliance on corrective eyewear means people lose the freedom of independently clear sight.
 
Your ability to deal with your surroundings depends on your eyesight, so Laser Eye Surgery at Optilase Clinic, to correct vision where possible, can give people back their sense of independence.
 
There will be a decline in eyesight that is unavoidable; it’s often one of the first senses to become affected by age. Monitoring vision changes and identifying problems will mean you can visit the eye doctor to get to the root of the issue.

Regular Check-Ups

It’s important to be able to distinguish between normal aging processes, and vision changes that might signify a more serious eye disease. Only a doctor can diagnose this, so it’s worth having regular check-ups.

Anatomical Changes to the Eye with Age

The various structures of the eyes allow us to see clearly at different distances, and under a number of different lighting conditions. These all start to wear down as we get older.

Common age-related vision complaints include:

  • Colours are not as vivid
  • Difficulty seeing objects close at hand
  • Trouble seeing in the dark
  • Adapting to glare difficult
  • Needing more lighting to see properly

The most significant age-related changes seem to occur in the lens and the pupil; these account for the majority of vision limitations people experience as they get older. The extent to which these changes affect vision varies a bit with each person.

Age Related Changes

1) Pupils become less responsive to variations in light

It is the pupil that controls the amount of light entering the eye to reach the retina and form an image. Pupils decrease in diameter as we age, so less light enters the eye; seeing in dim conditions is difficult.
 
As the pupil is less responsive, it reacts slowly to sudden glare as it takes longer to adapt to light changes. We need longer to adjust if we walk into a dark cinema or a bright room, particularly moving from one extreme of light to another.

Ways to Help
  • Increase the amount of ambient light in your home
  • Use task-specific lighting for reading or close work
  • Avoid lights that give off a direct glare

2) The lens of the eye loses elasticity
 
Just as our muscles and joints get stiff, so too do we lose flexibility of the lens in our eyes, making it harder to bend to focus on near objects. The loss of this focus is called Presbyopia, or aging of the eye.
 
This lens stiffening tends to set in around age 45 and worsens progressively.
Optilase offer highly effective inlays which help correct the effects of presbyopia; ask about Kamra Treatment and Presbia.
 
3) Yellowing of the lens in the eye
 
Just like old linens, the lens can yellow with age, which impacts the perception of colour. This is why objects may appear faded or not as vivid.
 
The yellowing effect absorbs and scatters blue light, so it’s hard for us to see the differences in shade of blue, green and violet. Contrast between colours is less obvious-it manifests itself in difficult picking out matching clothes for many people.
 
It also makes it difficult to see where one object stops and the other begins, or to distinguish objects from their background. This is why many people have a hard time seeing curbs or steps.
 
Talk to your eye doctor about the severity of your problem to see if there are any recommendations for you.
 

Lifestyle and Nutrition

 
In addition to certain nutritional deficits, other lifestyle choices may speed up cross-linking and put lens health at risk. These include smoking and excessive exposure to UV rays from the sun.
 
Abnormal Symptoms
 
Regular eye examinations should be part of your routine; as eye diseases like macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment are often painless and the onset is gradual, they can greatly impair vision if not promptly treated.
 
If you have an eye condition that is due to disease, there are probably many effective medical treatments available to ease its impact. The key is getting a diagnosis as soon as possible to learn about your options.
 
Call Optilase on +353 1 223 8821 for your free consultation to see if your vision loss can be easily corrected, and address any age-related vision troubles as they arise by making some changes in your surroundings/lifestyle to compensate.

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Patient Reviews

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Thelma Scanlon
September 23, 2023

Great experience and great after care. Had 2020 vision within 24 hours with very minimal pain.

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Amanda Mulligan
September 23, 2023

Amazing experience , amazing staff, amazing eye sight . I had lens replacement 3 months ago and would highly recommend.

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Mr. O’Flynn Education
September 23, 2023

I got my laser eye surgery done on April 20th and couldn’t be happier. I had one hard day of recovery, followed by dry eyes for a small while. Sleeping with the protective goggles is the hardest part, but you’re helped throughout the process by experts. I couldn’t recommend this enough and Optilase were a dream to deal with. Even if you can’t afford the treatment now, you can always talk about a payment plan and get the vision you’ve always wanted.

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Holli Burgon
September 18, 2023

I could not rate high enough, consultation was extremely informative and the staff were amazing, very friendly and answered all my questions with ease.

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Roisin Byrne
September 15, 2023

I had a wonderful experience in Optilase in Ely Place, the staff were so kind and helpful and made me feel really comfortable. Would absolutely recommend

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PAULA Moriarty
September 7, 2023

Couldn't rate Optilase high enough. I had Lens Replacement Surgery. My experience from the first phone call to the procedure itself and the aftercare was fantastic. All of the staff from the call centre to the staff in Carrickmines and the theatre were so helpful and friendly. Would definitely recommend .

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JeriesHamaty
September 5, 2023

I had my PRK done on both eyes , and im happy with the result. The post operation pain was extreme but it settled down after 4 days. Now i feel great after 2 weeks post operation no complications what so ever , other than blurry vision now and then, but its improving every day

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Rebekah Lowry
August 25, 2023

Got LASIK in Ely Place only yesterday and officially had 20/20 vision just 24 hours later! Cannot recommend Optilase enough from my initial consultation with Aisling in Athlone to my trips to Carrickmines and Ely Place. The staff really look after you from the moment you walk in the door and make you feel so at ease from start to finish - 10 out of 10 experience!

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Kate Oto
August 21, 2023

I highly recommend this place, reliable information and care, full professionalism.

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Lisa Simcox
August 21, 2023

LASIK was so easy and pain free. It’s one week post surgery and my eye sight is wonderful. I couldn’t recommend enough.

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Declan Wynne
August 21, 2023

I no longer need glasses,absolutely life changing.Great aftercare,lovely staff.

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Poliana Oliveira
August 9, 2023

I have been wearing glasses for over 20 years. I always hated wearing contact lenses and I got to a time in my life that I needed a change. A friend recommended optilase, I went for the free consultation and the person that did all the exams was really nice and I felt safe and confident enough to go ahead, I was recommended the PRK. I Put on a piece of paper how much I spent and would still spend on glasses for the next 10 years, and the surgery was for sure cheaper than that. My prescription was very high, both eyes, myopia and astigmatism Optilase provided all the information I needed, in clear manner. And they always made clear that there was nothing wrong with my eyes, it was my own choice to go for the surgery. The day of the surgery I was a bit nervous, who wouldn't? But then, from the reception to the surgeon, they were all so nice and welcoming. Hernandez performed the procedure, lovely surgeon, again all information was provided the way it should. I was instructed in what I should and should not do. The actual procedure took less than 15min, I felt nothing, no discomfort or anything. The whole process is very well done by the team, if I remember well around 3 people supporting the surgery plus one other girl providing pos surgery instructions. Right after the procedure I could already see much better than before without glasses! I couldn't believe it, I cried, thanked everyone and left the clinic knowing that I made the best choice. The recovery for PRK is a bit longer, I stayed for 2 full days no phones, or any screens. In the dark. If you have a little one, I would recommend to have someone minding them, as you are very limited in what you can do for the day of and day after surgery. It is hard to open the eyes, the second day after surgery was the toughest, I thought all went wrong as the vision got worst, but again I was advised it could happen. Note that this was my experience and could be different for other people. The 3rd day I felt nothing and could see much better already. Light sensitivity was very high, and still, 6 days after surgery, but nothing that a sun glasses would not help. My vision still blurred, but I need no glasses to see, my eyes feel dry sometimes, but the eye drops provided helps with it and and am very happy with the results already, even knowing it takes a bit longer to fully recover the vision. I'm back to work (screen at 200% to make sure I dont force my eyes too much) and I have had no headaches or anything, which I would have all the time looking at screens for most of my day. I cannot recommend Optilase enough, they are amazing! If you want to do something for your self and want a place you can trust, go for it, choose Optilase. Thanks to the whole team for one of the best things I did for my self!

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