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Do I need a referral letter from
my GP? |
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No. A referral would help but it
is not (absolutely) necessary to get an appointment
to see the specialist in the Eye Clinic. |
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What services are provided by
the Eye Clinic? |
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The Eye Clinic provides comprehensive
examination, diagnosis and treatment for all common
eye diseases. The Clinic is well equipped with modern
ophthalmologic equipment to diagnose diseases such
as cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, refractive
errors as well as common diseases in children and
the aged.
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How many specialists are available
in the Eye Clinic? Can I choose my own doctor? |
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There are currently several ophthalmologists
in the Eye Clinic. Patients can specify which doctor
he or she prefers to see before making an appointment.
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What is Cataract? |
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As we get older, proteins in the
eye's lens begin to clump together. The lens becomes
cloudier and less able to admit light into the back
of the eye. As a result, vision becomes blurry and
foggy. Total blindness would result if left untreated. |
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How is cataract surgery done?
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In short, the doctor would remove
the clouded lens from the eye and replace it with
an artificial lens.
The surgeon would need to make a very tiny incision
about 3 mm at the edge of the cornea. A thin probe
is then inserted into the lens to transmit ultrasound
waves to break up the cataract. The remnants are
then suctioned out through the probe. An artificial
lens, made of plastic, acrylic or silicone, is
implanted into the empty lens capsule.
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Would there be any open wound
or sutures? |
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The incision would is less than 3
mm in most cases and is hardly noticeable. The wound
would heal on its own. No suture is required usually. |
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Is cataract surgery safe? |
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Yes. Modern technology has made cataract
surgery safer than ever. More than 95 percent of
people who have a cataract removed report better
vision with no complication. |
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Should I wait for the cataract
to "Æipe" before doing surgery?
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No, this is not true. With better
technology, cataract surgery is now a simple, relatively
painless procedure to regain vision. In fact surgery
is safer before the lens has become too hard. |
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When should I consider cataract
surgery? |
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Think about surgery when your cataracts
have progressed enough to impair your vision and
affect your daily life. The decision to have cataract
surgery is one that you and your eye doctor should
make together. |
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Do I Need a General Anesthetic? |
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No, most people need only local anesthesia
and are awake throughout the procedure. Typically
cataract surgery takes less than an hour and can
be performed as an outpatient procedure or as a
day case in the hospital.
For anxious patients, doctors may advise on mild
sedation or general anaesthesia to make the procedure
more acceptable.
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