Myopia (short-sightedness) is caused when the eye doesn’t bend or refract light properly to a single focus. This means it’s very difficult to see images clearly, and although objects held close to you look clear, distant objects are blurred.

You may notice symptoms like eye strain; find yourself squinting to see things, have trouble seeing objects that are far away like road signs, and might even develop headaches.

Aside from the frustration of not being able to see objects that are far away, people with the myopia have a higher risk of developing a detached retina, which is a very serious condition.

The good news is that the cornea can be reshaped to improve your focus, and remove the need for corrective eyewear. Optilase Laser Eye Clinics have perfected state of the art diagnostic equipment to ensure your vision problem is correctly evaluated, so that you can then receive the most suitable procedure for you.

The benefits are immediate and life-changing; advances in the field of Laser Eye work have been astounding in recent years and Optilase Laser Eye Clinics offer the world’s most advanced technology and techniques, in a friendly, professional environment.

They use a cool beam laser, ‘Excimer’, to gently reshape the cornea and correct the focus so your short-sightedness is resolved. This eliminates the need for corrective eyewear and can make a huge difference to your vision.

After an extensive assessment process to determine the most suitable treatment for you, and answer all of your questions, they’ll organise a consultation with your Ophthalmic Surgeon. When you come back to the clinic for your procedure, you’ll be well taken care of by the whole Surgical Team.

The procedure only takes a few minutes, and Optilase provide a comprehensive aftercare service to ensure you’re 100% happy and vision-perfect.

Presbyopia literally means ‘old eye’. It’s a natural part of the aging process where the crystalline lens of your eye begins to stiffen up and lose its flexibility, making it difficult for you to focus on close objects.

You may notice that you experience difficulty reading, focusing on instructions written on the back of jars, and holding things away from you in order to read them clearly. You probably have blurring of your eyes when items are close to you, and may be experiencing headaches and eye fatigue while working, especially on a computer.

You’re probably wondering, as you hold items at arm’s length to try to read them, when companies started to use such tiny, tiny writing; but it’s not them-it’s you! The loss of flexibility in the eye takes place over a number of years, but always seems quite sudden when one day you have trouble seeing things up close. It’s not a disease; it’s quite normal-but it can’t be prevented. It’s all part of getting older.

Presbyopia cannot be treated with Laser Eye Surgery-but there is a radical new procedure on the way; so watch this space. If you have presbyopia, sometimes an intra-ocular lens can be inserted to aid vision. Call Optilase Laser Eye Clinics on +353 1 223 8821 for more information, or visit www.optilase.com

Hyperopia (long-sightedness) happens when the eye is shorter than normal, so the light rays entering the eye end up focused behind the retina.

This causes the image on the retina to be blurred, so although distant objects may appear fairly clear, objects that are close to you appear fuzzy and indistinct.

Most children are actually long-sighted, but their young eyes have the ability to bend light rays to place them directly on the retina so they don’t have blurring. As adults, however, we experience Hyperopia differently-in fact when people have significant Hyperopia, it can blur your vision for objects at any distance, near or far.

Close tasks like reading prove problematic for those with long-sightedness and people often experience eye strain and headaches. You may even find yourself squinting.

As Hyperopia is another member of the group of eye conditions where focusing is the problem, it can be corrected. Optilase Laser Eye Clinics can gently reshape the cornea to fix the focusing issue, so your corrected eye places the light rays on the retina without any blurring.

Optilase have perfected the technique of using cool beam laser, called ‘Excimer’, to gently reshape the cornea. The whole procedure only takes a few minutes to complete, and the results can be life-changing, eliminating the need for corrective eyewear.

From the moment you step into the clinic our Laser Eye experts will tailor your entire experience so you’re correctly assessed, treated and cared for. They’ll answer all your questions, your surgeon will have an extensive consultation with you, addressing any concerns you may have.

On the day of your surgery, you’ll be in the care of the whole Optilase surgery team, including your Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Surgery Nurses, Laser Technician and Support Staff. They will ask you to bring a friend or family member with you, and after your procedure Optilase provide a comprehensive aftercare service, ensuring you can see the world clearly again-no squinting!

People who have to wear glasses or use contact lenses usually find it a bit troublesome; losing the glasses; forgetting lens solution; having to be slave to corrective eyewear in order to see properly. Scrabbling around for glasses or lenses first thing in the morning and being a bit helpless if you can’t find the is what usually spurs people to seek Laser Eye Surgery.

If you’ve ever found yourself getting compete strangers to read out the texts on your mobile phone or not being able to check your child’s homework without the whole house undertaking a major search for your specs, you’d probably benefit from saying goodbye to corrective eyewear.

Perhaps you’ve experienced vision problems for a while, and are too stubborn, too vain or too busy to have done anything about it. Depending on the condition of your eyes, you too may benefit from Laser Eye Surgery.

If you do wear glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision, or are experiencing noticeable vision problems, chances are that you have a problem with the shape of your cornea. The cornea is the transparent covering at the front of the eye, and as light rays enter it, they are focused on the retina at the back of the eye to form an image.

When the cornea is misshaped, due to any number of eye conditions, the image you see will be blurry. Depending on the eye condition you have, you experience difficult seeing objects up close (long-sightedness); far away (shot-sightedness) or in some cases, both.

Problems with the shape of the cornea belong to a group of eye conditions known as refractive errors. Laser Eye Surgery can fix these, using a precision controlled medical laser to reshape the cornea, giving you clear vision again, without the need for corrective eyewear.

How do I know Laser Eye Surgery will work for me?

When you go for your initial Free consultation at Optilase, you’ll meet with a Laser Optometrist who carries out a range of eye scans and a full assessment to determine if you are a suitable candidate for Laser Eye Surgery.

People with a very high or very low prescription for their corrective eyewear may not benefit, or those with certain eye conditions that make them poor candidates for the procedure. This would all be determined in a detailed eye exam with the Laser Optometrist. If they don’t think you’d benefit, they won’t put you forward for surgery! It’s that simple.

This usually takes about an hour, and will determine if you are a suitable candidate who would benefit from Laser Eye Surgery, and the reasons why, so you’ll know for sure.

The Optometrist will explain the procedure and answer any questions for you, so you’ll be completely informed and comfortable with your decision.

Does Laser Eye Surgery Hurt?

 
Not at all. It’s completely pain-free. Depending on the specific procedure, your eyes might feel a bit gritty afterwards. You’ll be awake during the procedure, but very effective anaesthetic eye drops are used. There are no needles!

Recovery time will depend on what kind of surgery is performed, but you’ll know all of the details beforehand and can plan for them as required. The whole procedure only takes a few minutes for each eye. All of the details are very well explained beforehand and your Ophthalmic Surgeon will tell you exactly what to expect.

Sources:

Young Richard, 1994 ‘Optimimestry and Vision Science.'
Japanese Journal of Opthalmology: September 2005, Vol 49, Issue 5, pp 349 to354
David Torbert, August 2014: the Sun, Ultraviolet Radiation and Your Eye
Malignant eyelid Tumours in Taiwan, J.K Wang, SL Liao and others, Department of Opthalmology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital Taipei, Taiwan. Correspondent: Dr, S-Liao Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University
Online library.wiley.com
Link.springer.com/article.
www.nature.com/eye/journal/

A conversation with Doug Howlett

Laser eye surgery was first introduced in the 1970s and is now one of the most advanced and commonly performed surgeries worldwide with over 30 million people worldwide opting for this life changing procedure. Did you know that Tiger Woods, Courtney Cox and Brad Pitt have all had laser eye surgery, and closer to home, Munster Rugby star and ex All Black player, Doug Howlett had laser eye surgery at Optilase in Cork last summer.

Doug Howlett commented:

“I really can’t believe how this has changed my life, it was easily one of the best decisions I have ever made. I woke up the next day to a whole new world and was back at light training the following week - I just wish I had done it sooner!”

Optilase was one of the first independent clinics in the country and has state-of-the-art clinics in Cork, Dublin, Waterford, Belfast and Derry, and more recently a clinic in Galway, Longford and Athlone. Their experienced team of surgeons has carried out over 40,000 laser eye surgery procedures, and are leaders in their field, in Ireland, Europe and Worldwide.

The Cork team is comprised of resident Con­sultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Dr Conall Hurley from Cork; Laser Optometrists Marie O’Keeffe FAOI and Dan O’Brien FAOI; Clinic Manager, Louise Carty also from Cork, along with a dedicated medical team.

We spoke to Doug Howlett about his experience to find out more!

1. Why did you choose to have laser eye surgery?

After years of battling with glasses, losing lenses on the side of the pitch or having one poked out during an important match, I thought it was high time I did something about it! I knew lots of people who had laser eye surgery at Optilase and they all described how straight forward and painless the procedure actually is, and how much it can change your life.

2. Why did you choose Optilase for laser eye surgery?

A friend actually suggested and recommended Optilase. I already knew they had an excellent reputation and track record. As a professional sportsman in particular, I wanted the best possible treatment available. I went for a consultation and was so impressed with Optilase and surgeon, Dr Conall Hurley; I knew I was in the safest and best possible hands.

3. Was it painful?

Of course I was slightly apprehensive on the day of surgery but the team really made me feel at ease. I had incredible confidence in my Surgeon, Mr Hurley, and I was right. The procedure is actually as painless as they say! Sure, it’s a bit uncomfortable which is to be expected but it takes just a few minutes per eye. From the very next day, at my post-op consult, I was starting to see clearly, without the help of glasses or lenses. It took just a few weeks for vision to fully settle down, to a level an incredible “better than 20:20”! I attended each of my follow up appointments, one day, one week, one month, three months and six months after surgery, which was standard, just to check progress, which was nothing short of perfectly straight forward.

4. What difference has laser eye surgery made to your life?

Laser eye surgery has completely changed my life! I can’t believe the difference it has made. I just wish I hadn’t waited so long! I definitely have one less thing to think about on the rugby pitch!

5. Would you recommend laser eye surgery at Optilase?

I’d recommend Optilase to everyone. In fact, Denis Hurley had laser eye surgery at Optilase just a couple of weeks ago! The team at Optilase are world class, my main advice is just don’t wait!

To arrange a free consultation or for further information phone: +353 1 223 8821 or email info@optilase.com or visit: www.optilase.com.

Mr Crewe-Brown acts as a Project Consultant and Visiting Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon to the new Swedish Specialist Hospital in Erbil, capital of the self-governing region of Kurdistan in Northern Iraq. This is a four storey state-of-the art Eye Hospital, the first in a chain of other specialist facilities to serve this rapidly expanding region in the Middle East.

Unlike the southern regions of Iraq, Kurdistan is stable, safe and has a booming economy. Urban life at Erbil can be dated back to at least 6000 BC and it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Having been involved in the planning stages of the Refractive Surgery Department of the hospital, Mr Crewe-Brown returned last week from his first clinical visit to the hospital. He was very impressed with the nearly completed hospital, its facilities and equipment. He saw patients with a variety of refractive conditions and looks forward to performing surgery on some of these during future visits, the next surgical visit being in early August.

Thousands of Irish people have chosen Optilase for Laser Eye Surgery

Optilase Clinic, Ireland’s leading laser eye surgery clinic has announced that it will open at 3, Steamboat Quay on Wednesday, 30th May, headed up by local Limerick woman; laser Optometrist, Marie O'Keefe FAOI.

Optilase was one of the first independent laser eye clinics in Ireland. Their experienced team of Surgeons has carried out over 40,000 laser eye surgery procedures, and are leaders in their field, in Ireland, Europe and Worldwide. The clinic has an exceptional reputation; with top sports people too, with Munster Rugby players, Frankie Sheehan, Denis Hurley and Doug Howlett choosing to have laser eye surgery at Optilase.

The 100% Irish owned company is a major success story, optimistically bucking the recessional trend and committing to investing in the economy. This is the fourth new opening for Optilase this year, adding to the state-of the-art clinics in Cork, Dublin and Belfast, there are now regional clinics in Waterford, Galway, Athlone, Derry and now Limerick.

Managing Director of Optilase, Phillip McGlade commented:

“We are more than delighted to finally open in Limerick.We look forward to introducing the people of Limerick City and its surrounds to an unrivalled level of patient care and attention, both pre and post-surgery, at a fair and highly affordable price. Laser eye surgery is an incredibly successful and surprisingly straight forward procedure that quite literally changes people’s lives”.

Laser eye surgery was first introduced in the 1970s and is now one of the most advanced and commonly performed elective surgeries worldwide, having helped to improve the vision and lifestyles of over 30 million people worldwide.

To arrange a free consultation or for further information phone: +353 1 223 8821 or email info@optilase.com or visit: www.optilase.com.

Why not greet the summer with crystal-clear vision and be free of the many constraints of wearing contact lenses and cumbersome glasses? Apart from the physical discomfort and awkwardness or wearing glasses and gritty lenses, even a simple weekend away requires a detailed check list of what to bring, from cases, solutions and eye drops to prescription sunglasses (we just might be lucky!). Imagine having perfect vision, day in and day out, without being tied to and dependent on glasses and lenses?

This is indeed the gift of laser eye surgery. Most patients will tell you stories of seeing their own environment in a whole new light, noticing small details that were previously not visible with their lenses or glasses. Many people prefer to wear lenses over glasses and very often, the sight is a lot less sharp than wearing glasses. For these patients in particular, laser eye surgery really is life-changing.

The best advice is to speak to the best. Optilase is Ireland's leading laser eye surgery clincs and has a state-of-the-art clinic in Cork at 19B Opera Lane. Optilase uses only the most advanced, precise and safest technology in the world as well as the revolutionary ‘blade-free’ IntraLase technology. The clinic’s experi­enced team comprises resident Con­sultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Dr Conall Hurley from Cork; Laser Optometrists Marie O’Keeffe FAOI and Dan O’Brien FAOI; Clinic Manager, Louise Carty also from Cork, along with a dedicated medical team.

To arrange a free consultation or for further information phone: +353 1 223 8821 or email info@optilase.com.