Making ophthalmology easy with descriptions regarding the most well known eye afflictions

Ophthalmology is a particularly tricky topic because 9 out of 10 people are particularly sensitive when it comes to their eyes and feel squeamish about even touching their eyes with contact lenses. So to give you a bit of information relating to ophthalmology the eye surgery experts have compiled some key info to help you gain a better understanding of how your eye works and the most common eye afflictions to watch out for:Younger people and children can be affected by cataracts - it is not just a condition that affects the elderly. These are called congenital cataracts, which develop prior to or just after birth. The condition is characterised by the clouding of the eye and can sometimes lead to complete opacity. Near-sightedness (myopia) is one clear symptom as well as the gradual yellowing of the lens and a lack of perception of the colour blue. Treatment consists of a cataract operation or cataract surgery. Vision loss and blindness can occur if left untreated. Shrinkage of the lens and swelling can often arise amongst the elderly.Corneal transplantation or grafting occurs when a cornea becomes damaged and is replaced by donated corneal tissue. If, for example, if a patient is struck by fuchs dystrophy (a slow progressing corneal disease that is common in patients in their fifties) or Keratoconus (a disorder which changes the shape of the cornea and causes substantial distortion of vision) then a cornea transplant may be required. A cornea transplant is where the damaged part of the cornea is replaced by donated corneal tissue to restore the damage caused by the corneal disease, with the graft coming from a deceased donor. keratoconus surgery or cornea transplants are often classed as two of the most severe treatment options when comes to cornea disease - in most cases, these conditions can be effectively managed by wearing corrective lenses.The technology utilised by ophthalmologists changes depending on the eye condition being treated. If a patient is undergoing invasive cornea surgery a Ziemer LDV Femtosecond precision laser will be used. This piece of equipment enables a surgeon to operate on an eye without the need for a blade. Additionally, there is an OCT (Ocular Coherence Tomographer), this is a new form of non-invasive imaging technology to map out the shape, size and exact contours of the eye. For more specialist conditions there is also Anti-VEGF drugs and Fluorescein angiography treatments. These are just some of the equipment and procedures that are currently in use by qualified ophthalmologists.Lasik eye surgery is a variety of refractive surgery that helps to fix hyeropia, astigmatism and myopia. That means this surgery is an useful alternative to wearing glasses or corrective lenses, which the majority of people don't enjoy wearing. The procedure is similar in certain aspects to other corrective surgical procedures like photo-refractive keratectomy and refractive surgery, making it a common answer to solving bad eye sight. As a procedure, it involves surgical remodelling of the cornea, specifically reshaping its curvature. There is the possibility that the eye will reject the surgery and gently return to its former state, however other side effects are low.A wide range of clinics can be found in a host of locations. Most surgeries are based in major cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh or London. It makes sense then that laser eye surgery in London could be your ideal solution if looking for eye surgery. The surgeries are extremely reputable, often leading to longer waiting lists. This does mean that the the clinic is of the highest standard possible. In some cases, they can even be affiliated with licensed opticians hence a simple suggestions is to have a chat with your own optician for their views before looking for an eye surgeon.In the United Kingdom, there are three institutions that grant postgraduate degrees in ophthalmology. These are The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Royal College of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Glasgow. A qualification must be held by an ophthalmologist in order to pursue that line of work in Great Britain. When the postgraduate has passed their course, the majority of the students tend to obtain a placement at the NHS to further their practical skills. As a matter of fact, a large number of major laser eye specialists run specific programs to help people become qualified ophthalmologists. However, most of the time these are vocational courses which can only be taken after a postgraduate qualification.