Other Eye Treatments close

Other Eye Treatments

The following specialised eye treatments are also available at Bowen Eye Clinic.

  • Staar Visian ICL alternative LASIK Wellington

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    Staar Visian ICL

    Staar Visian ICL

    Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) is an alternative to Laser Eye Surgery. An implantable contact lens is placed in the front part of the eye removing your need for glasses. ICL is suitable for people aged 21-45 years old and can treat people with their glasses strength from +10.0 to -18.0D and with people who have astigmatism. 

    ICL is a perfect treatment for those with high strength glasses (refractive error) and excellent for people who have thin corneas. 

    Surgery
    ICL surgery is performed as a day procedure at Bowen Hospital with a local anaesthetic. The recovery is quick, normally just a few days, and is considered a permanent correction of your vision.

    Results
    Excellent vision results can be achieved with Staar Visian ICL.  

    For diagnosis and treatment with an ICL call 0800-69-20-20

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    Staar Visian ICL alternative LASIK Wellington
  • Pterygium Surgery-Wellington-NZ

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    Pterygium & Pinguecula

    Pterygium & Pinguecula


    A Pterygium (Surfer's Eye) is a wing-shaped growth on the surface of the eye causing redness, irritation and sometimes decreased vision. This is normally due to excess UV light exposure from spending a lot of time outside on the water or snow. A pterygium usually grows on the nose side of the eye but occasionally can grow in from both sides of the eye. A pinguecula is a smaller version of a pterygium that has not yet grown onto the cornea.

    Surgery
    Pterygium surgery removes the growth and a small graft from under your eyelid is used to help heal and minimise the chance of a re-growth. To minimise the discomfort, Fibrin glue is used to attach the graft. This also reduces the surgical time. Surgery is done under local anaesthetic at the Bowen Eye Clinic, Bowen Hospital or Southern Cross Hospital in Wellington or Crest Hospital in Palmerston North. There is some mild to moderate discomfort in the recovery period. 

    Results
    The cosmetic results from pterygium surgery are excellent. There is a low recurrence rate of 1%, which usually occurs after surgery in the first 3 months. We recommend the use of sunglasses to reduce UV light exposure to protect your eyes from sun, wind and dust. 

    For diagnosis and treatment of your Pterygium call 0800-69-20-20

    Pterygium Surgery-Wellington-NZ
  • Eyelid surgery Blepharoplasty Wellington

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    Eyelid Surgery

    Eyelid Surgery

    A number of minor eyelid surgery procedures are available at Bowen Eye Clinic, from simple cyst removal to blepharoplasty and ectropion repairs. These are all done as a day procedure with local anaesthetic. 

    For diagnosis and treatment for eye lid surgery call 0800-69-20-20

    Eyelid surgery Blepharoplasty Wellington
  • Keratoconus Wellington

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    Keratoconus

    Keratoconus

    Keratoconus is a progressive disease of the cornea that affects young people, causing blindness. The cornea is the very front clear part of the eye, which is curved, a bit like the front glass on a watch. The cornea function is to bend and focus light onto the retina at the back of your eye. In keratoconus, the cornea becomes very thin, irregular, and cone shaped and can no longer focus the light, causing blurred vision.

    Treatment
    When the keratoconus is mild, glasses will usually correct the defocus of light. When the keratoconus is moderate, only a rigid contact lens can correct the defocus. These contact lenses can be uncomfortable and are not always tolerated. 

    When the keratoconus is severe, a corneal transplant may be the only option to restore your vision (DALK/PK). Corneal Cross-Linking is a treatment to stop progression of the keratoconus and may reduce the need for rigid contact lenses or a corneal transplant.

    Results
    A corneal transplant is indicated when your contact lens is no longer tolerant or no longer produces satisfactory vision. Corneal transplants for keratoconus offer the best results, however, patients need life-long follow-up care and can sometimes reject their transplant. The corneal graft register shows a 85% graft survival at 10 years. 

    For diagnosis and treatment of your Keratoconus call 0800-69-20-20

    Keratoconus Wellington
  • Cornea Cross Linking-Wellington

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    Corneal Cross-Linking

    Corneal Cross-Linking

    Procedure
    Corneal Cross-Linking (CXL) is a break-through in medical ophthalmic science and gives hope to keratoconus patients. Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease where the cornea becomes thin, irregular, and cone shaped. CXL halts the progress of keratoconus by increasing the rigidity of the cornea with a single, quick treatment.

    Treatment
    CXL is a day procedure done with local anaesthetic.  At the Bowen Eye Clinic we use a high fluence corneal cross-linker with accelerated cross-linking to slow the progression of your keratoconus. The cornea is first treated with Riboflavin, then, ultra-violet light treatment completes a chemical reaction for collagen cross-linking in the cornea. The procedure treats one eye at a time. Recovery time normally takes 2-5 days.

    Results
    Cross-linking has been shown in randomised controlled studies to stop the progression of keratoconus. This will stop your vision worsening and may keep you in glasses or contact lenses and prevent the need for corneal transplantation. Normally only one treatment per eye is required. 

    For diagnosis and treatment for Corneal Cross-Linking call 0800-69-20-20

    Cornea Cross Linking-Wellington
  • Cornea Transplant Eye Surgery-Wellington

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    Corneal Transplant Surgery

    Corneal Transplant Surgery

    Corneal transplant surgery techniques have advanced in the last 10 years. Current new techniques include partial thickness grafts (DSAEK, DALK) and traditional full thickness grafts such as penetrating keratoplasty. These techniques can treat the common corneal diseases of keratoconus, fuchs endothelial dystrophy and corneal scarring. 

    For diagnosis and treatment for a Corneal Transplant call 0800-69-20-20

    Cornea Transplant Eye Surgery-Wellington
  • Glaucoma treatment-Wellington-NZ

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    Glaucoma

    Glaucoma

    Glaucoma is an eye disease that can cause irreversible vision loss without you even knowing. At Bowen Eye Clinic we can offer early diagnosis and treatment and ongoing monitoring of your glaucoma. 

    For diagnosis and treatment of your Glaucoma call 0800-69-20-20

    Glaucoma treatment-Wellington-NZ
  • Macular degeneration ARMD Avastin Wellington

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    Macular Degeneration - Avastin

    Macular Degeneration - Avastin

    Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is an eye condition that for a long time ophthalmologists have not been able to treat. A recent advance has been the introduction of anti-VEGF drugs such as Intravitreal Avastin. At Bowen Eye Clinic we can offer early diagnosis and treatment of ARMD and ongoing monitoring of your ARMD. 

    For diagnosis and treatment of your ARMD call 0800-69-20-20

    Macular degeneration ARMD Avastin Wellington
  • Dry Eye-Wellington

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    Dry Eyes

    Dry Eyes

    There are a number of causes for dry eye. Evaporative tear loss (Meibomian dysfunction) or insufficient tear production (Aqueous dysfunction).  At Bowen Eye Clinic we can help with the diagnosis and offer a number of tailored treatments. We can offer treatments with punctual plugs, cyclosporine and serum eyedrops and blephasteam goggles depending on the cause and type of your dry eyes. 

    For diagnosis and treatment of your Dry Eye call 0800-69-20-20

    Dry Eye-Wellington
  • Red Eye Wellington

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    Red Eye Treatment

    Red Eye Treatment

    Red eye can be caused by a number of conditions. Some are benign, whereas others can be more severe and affect your vision. Most conditions of red eye can be treated with eye drops. 

    For diagnosis and treatment of your Red Eyes call 0800-69-20-20

    Red Eye Wellington
  • YAG Laser Eye Surgery Wellington

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    Yag Eye Laser

    Yag Eye Laser

    Cataract surgery is highly successful in restoring your sight from cataracts. The new intraocular lens used in cataract surgery is very durable and essentially lasts forever. But in a small percentage of cases (<5%) a fog can grow over the vision in the first year after successful cataract surgery or even after 10 years. This is caused by small cells multiplying on the bag that the intraocular lens sits in. It can be easily treated with a YAG Laser posterior capsulotomy. This is minor laser eye surgery performed in the clinic with the YAG Laser during a short visit and has a very fast recovery. Your vision would normally improve by the next day.

    Call 0800-69-20-20 to book your consultation with Dr Reece Hall.

    YAG Laser Eye Surgery Wellington
  • Glaucoma Laser Eye Surgery

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    Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)

    Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)

    Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a laser eye treatment used to lower eye pressure in patients with Glaucoma. It can be used when glaucoma eyedrops are no longer effective at lowering the eye pressure or when eyedrops are causing side effects. SLT eye laser treatment can also reduce the need for eyedrops altogether or provide extra eye pressure lowering when still using eyedrops. It can be effective in over 75% of people and has no significant side effects. It can also be used as a first line treatment before any eyedrops are started in people with a new diagnosis of Glaucoma.

    How does SLT work?

    SLT is an infrared laser that is absorbed by selected pigment tissue cells in the drainage angle of the eye. It is thought to stimulate the immune system to clean the eyes drainage channels (Trabecular meshwork) and remove blockages. This allows fluid to drain more easily from the eye and therefore lowers the eye pressure.

    How is SLT performed?

    SLT is a safe and straight forward procedure done only with local anaesthetic eye drops. It is normally completed in clinic by the eye specialist and is completed in under 10 minutes for each eye.

    Expectations of SLT

    SLT can reduce the need for eyedrops to treat Glaucoma. This also has the advantage of reducing the side effects that some eyedrops cause. It has no or minimal discomfort during the procedure. It can be repeated in the future if the effect wears off.  It has the potential to offer Glaucoma patients freedom from their eyedrops and give them independence between their 6 monthly reviews.  

     

    If you have any questions about SLT please contact Bowen Eye Clinic 0800-69-20-20.

    Glaucoma Laser Eye Surgery
  • Refractive Lens Exchange

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    Refractive Lens Exchange

    Refractive Lens Exchange

    Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) is a procedure almost identical to cataract surgery (the most common operation in the Western World), only it is done for a slightly different reason.

    Instead of a cloudy lens of the cataract being replaced, the Refractive Lens Exchange procedure replaces your eye’s natural clear lens with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). This reduces your need for glasses or contact lenses by correcting your refractive error to gain a sharper focus. IOL implantation is a bit like building your glasses or your contact lenses into your eyes.

    Refractive Lens Exchange (also called lens replacement surgery or clear lens extraction) may be a better alternative than LASIK, PRK or IOL refractive surgery for people with presbyopia (age related loss of near vision) and high hyperopia (far sightedness). The procedure is designed to help you to live an active lifestyle without the reliance on glasses and contact lenses.

    Laser Eye Surgery is usually a good solution for near sightedness and far sightedness for younger people, but as we get older, our eyes’ natural lenses become both harder and hazier. Harder lenses aren’t able to adjust for near vision and hazy lenses start to scatter light and blur vision and develop into a cataract.  RLE replaces the problem lens in your eye with a new lens implant.

    Who is a suitable candidate for RLE?

    RLE is elective - you can choose to have it at any time, or not at all. The alternative is staying in glasses or contact lenses. RLE is most suitable for people who have presbyopia and hyperopia (far sightedness) over the age of 45 years.

    Presbyopia affects just about everyone and becomes noticeable sometime in the mid 40’s. Presbyopia is a naturally occurring age-related condition where your eye’s natural lens becomes firm and inflexible and you lose the ability to focus on near objects, such as reading your phone or a book. Standard Laser Eye surgery such as LASIK, PRK and phakic IOLs cannot help treat presbyopia. Laser Blended Vision and RLE are often the most suitable surgical options for this group of people who wish to be free from their distance and reading glasses. If you are over 50 years of age and have a glasses prescription that is higher than the normal range for laser eye surgery, you are more likely to be suitable for RLE.

    RLE removes the need for cataract surgery in later life, and is often preferred to laser vision correction for patients in the retirement age group whose eyes are in the early stages of cataract formation and are looking for an alternative to glasses and who are no longer suitable candidates for LASIK. For this group of people the RLE does two procedures in one - removes the early cataract and replaces it with a lens; minimising surgical procedures (no need to have cataract surgery later in life) and maximising quality of life without the hassle of glasses.

    Myopia (short sightedness) or hyperopia (far sightedness) can be corrected by RLE and there are IOLs available that have built in correction for astigmatism.

    Your ophthalmologist will advise you on your best treatment options after assessing your eye test measurements and your eye health.

    Who is not a suitable candidate for RLE?

    Some myopic patients are not suitable candidates for RLE due to the risk of a retinal detachment and phakic IOL may be a better option in a younger person.

    RLE is not a suitable option for everyone with certain eye diseases that may degrade image formation e.g are-related macular degeneration, uncontrolled diabetes or diabetic retinopathy, uncontrolled glaucoma, recurrent inflammatory eye disease and previous keratorefractive surgery.

    What type of lenses shall I choose?

    Like cataract surgery there are three types of IOL that are available to replace your natural lens. The choice will depend upon your vision needs and the health of your eyes.

    Monofocal fixed-focus IOLs will give you clear vision at either distance, intermediate or near ranges.

    Toric IOLs will correct astigmatism are also available as monofocal IOLs.

    Monofocal IOLs can be used to treat your eyes equally focused in the distance or as blended vision to give you distance and near vision.

    Multifocal IOLs provide vision at multiple distances. The replacement lens in each eye with the implant will give good distance, intermediate and near vision so you are unlikely to need glasses for any tasks. This is one of the options for those people who wish to have good near vision without glasses. There is often a period of adjusting to get used to the change in vision and some people notice halo or glare with bright lights at night.

    You won’t feel an IOL in your eye. The lens implant is inside your eye and is not visible to others.

    Your ophthalmologist will discuss the lens selection with you and carefully tailor it to your preferences and life style.

    What does the procedure involve?

    The procedure for refractive lens exchange is virtually identical to cataract surgery.

    The difference is that in RLE, the lens in your eye being replaced is clear, rather than a cloudy lens due to a cataract.

    Refractive lens exchange is done as an outpatient procedure taking about 10-15 minutes and you will be normally at the hospital for around 2 hours. Each eye is normally done separately, a week apart. This gives time to recover from the first surgery and also a guide as to how your vision is with the prescribed lens.

    You will be awake during the procedure and anaesthetic eye drops are used to numb your eyes, so there is no discomfort.

    Arrange for someone to drive you home and return you the following day for a check up.

    You will be given medicated eye drops to use for about 3 weeks.

    Initial recovery usually takes about a week and it may take several weeks before you notice any significant changes in your vision.

    You should be able to return to work and drive again within a week of your surgery.

    What are the risks of having a RLE procedure?

    In all forms of eye surgery, problems can occur during the operation or afterwards in the healing period.

    Lens replacement surgery is more invasive than laser-based refractive surgery such as LASIK and PRK and therefore comes with slightly more risk.

    Most complications can be treated successfully with medication or additional surgery. At your follow up appointments your ophthalmologist will check your progress and monitor you for any complications.

    Refractive Lens Exchange risks and complications may include:

    retinal detachment, more common in extremely myopic (nearsighted) people

    dislocated IOL

    increased eye pressure

    infection or bleeding inside the eye

    droopy eyelid

    glare, halos and blurry vision from multifocal IOLs.

    Will having RLE affect my future eye health care?

    If you develop a new eye health problem later in life, RLE implantation should not prevent you having successful treatment.

    What is the cost?

    If you have a cataract the RLE may be covered by your insurance.

    The cost of the procedure varies depending on the IOL option you choose and will be discussed with you personally at your consultation.

     

    Phone Bowen Eye Clinic 0800 69 2020 to book an assessment.

     

    Glossary:

    Astigmatism irregular defocus, or an eye that is shaped more like a rugby ball. Most of us have at least some astigmatism.

    Cataract when the natural lens gets misty enough to make vision hazy, it is called a cataract.

    Hyperopia far sightedness. People with hyperopia typically have good vision as young adults. As they get older, they find themselves reliant on glasses for reading and then for the distance vision too.

    IOL intraocular lens. IOLs are small synthetic lens implants that are used to replace the natural lens in cataract and refractive lens exchange.

    LASIK (Laser-In-Situ-Keratomileusis) This is the commonest form of laser vision correction in which a thin protective flap is created using a femtosecond laser. The protective flap is hinged aside by the surgeon before optical reshaping of the cornea using an excimer laser. The flap is then replaced, and adheres without stitches, keeping the corneal skin layer intact and giving a fast visual recovery.

    Myopia near sightedness. People with myopia are able to see up close but not in the distance. They typically first need glasses as school age children.

    Presbyopia age related loss of reading vision and the ability to focus on a near object without help from glasses.

    PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) this is a form of surface laser vision correction treatment in which optical reshaping of the cornea is done with an excimer laser on the corneal surface after removal of the corneal skin layer.

    Refractive Surgery is another name for vision correction surgery or surgery to reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses.

    RLE (refractive lens exchange) this is surgery to replace the natural lens with an IOL. RLE is identical to cataract surgery but is performed in patients who can see clearly if they wear glasses or contact lenses. The aim of RLE is to help people to see clearly for more activities without glasses or contact lenses.

    Refractive Lens Exchange

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