A laser eye surgeon is usually an eye surgeon (ophthalmologist) which utilizes the technology of a laser device in performing eye operations, typically the removal of cataracts. Eye surgery is often known as ocular surgery.
Cataract surgical treatment is frequently carried out with a phaco probe, which vibrates swiftly at ultrasonic frequency and thereby breaks up the cataract while the ensuing contaminants are sucked up by the probe. In the case of a laser eye surgeon a phaco probe using a laser is used to break up the cloudy lens, which is the cataract and the elimination of the fragmented cataract is also done by the probe in a suction action.
Laser eye surgery, also known as LASIK in the case of cataract removal, involves the patient being administered a tranquiliser drug to encourage calmness in the patient before a local anaesthetic is administered to anesthetise the eye. As in any operation procedure, there is always risk associated and in the case of the eye infection is always a risk albeit not a frequent occurrence. Because of this in cataract surgery, only one eye is operated on at once, to limit any likely infection. The procedure normally lasts about 1 hour and the success rate of such a procedure is higher than 95%.
The laser eye surgeon performs the surgery in an adequate sterile and clean setting, the area to be operated on is prepared with antiseptics and safety gloves and a mask is worn by the laser eye surgeon. A local anaesthetic is administered leaving the person fully awake (infants receive a general anaesthetic) and the laser eye surgeon uses an operating microscope to look into the patients eye. The eye is kept open with a small instrument called an eye speculum, which is placed under the lower and upper lids and kept open. The laser eye surgeon make use of a laser phaco probe in the one hand and a "chopper" in the other hand to remove the cataract. The cataract is removed by the surgeon making a tiny incision in the lens and the phaco probe is then inserted through the incision to perform phaco emulsification, which is a practice whereby the cataract is emulsified and sucked up by the probe. When the cataract damaged natural lens has been removed, an intraocular lens (IOL) is placed into position through the tiny incision that had been made at the start of the procedure in the cornea. The IOL is an artificial lens made from soft acrylic and it is folded, that enables for easy insertion behind the eye's pupil by a small injector. Once put in position the IOL unfolds and is anchored behind the eye's pupil. Stitches are very rarely needed in this procedure, making the recovery process rather fast and painless. A dressing is applied and can usually be removed the day after. This process makes it possible for speedy vision rehab and often results in less reliance on glasses for distance vision.
There are also other treatments or operations done by laser eye surgeons. Some of such procedures are more uncomfortable than cataract removal, but are equally effective.
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