• Glaucoma is a blinding disease, present in 5-8% of population, in which the Optic Nerve is damaged, usually due to high pressure inside the eye.
  
  This damage can lead to loss of vision which cannot be reversed after it has occurred. However, early treatment can control this disease and prevent or delay blindness.
• In most people it is symptom less, esp. in chronic type. So most patients are not diagnosed before extensive damage is done
• Acute angle closure type presents with severe eye pain & vision loss.
• Early diagnosis, proper treatment & proper monitoring are very essential to preserve vision till life span..
• All people over 45 yrs age & all first relatives of known glaucoma patients must get themselves checked for glaucoma periodically.

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Glaucoma services at Netra

Early & appropriate diagnosis by judicious use of

• Applanation Tonometry: Gold standard to measure Eye Pressure
• Pachymetry : For corneal thickness influencing eye pressure check
• Early morning Eye Pressure check to know pressure variations
• Stereoscopic Optic nerve examination & photography
• Automated Perimetry: To detect visual field defects
• Gonioscopy: To diagnose type of glaucoma- open angle or angle closure- which have different lines of treatment

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Medical treatment with drops & optimal follow-ups to ensure stability,
compliance, address adverse effects , detect progression if any .

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Surgical/ LASER treatment by

• Trabeculectomy ( Fluid bypass for open angle type)
• Laser Peripheral Iridotomy ( Fluid bypass for narrow angle type)
• Laser Trabeculoplasty (A stop gap treatment in place of medicines)

• Cataract is opacification of the natural lens of the eye.
• It occurs mostly due to aging but can occur due to diabetes, steroid intake, injury , birth defect etc.
• When vision falls below useful levels, the opaque lens is removed by operation & artificial lens is implanted in its place.
• Results depend more on surgical neatness than lens type.
• Use of a cap and sun glasses since early age may prevent sunlight injury which is a possible cause of early cataracts.
• As yet, there are no Medicines to cure or prevent cataract. Surgery is the only treatment.

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Cataract services at Netra

• Phacoemulsification with Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) Implantation
• Non Phaco Small incision Surgery with IOL Implantation
• Minimum medicines. About 3 hrs hospital Stay
• Option of freedom from Spectacles in most routine activities after operation
• Option of removing cylindrical power at the same time to get undistorted vision without glasses
• YAG Laser to treat capsular opacification.

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Phacoemulsification:

A microprocessor controlled Phaco Probe of 2.2 to 2.8 mm diameter breaks up and sucks away the cataract within the eye through a tiny cut of same size.

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Non phaco small incision surgery

The whole cataract is removed through about a 6-8 mm cut which is then sutured by 1 to 3 sutures.

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Intraocular Lens(IOL) Implantation

An IOL replaces the removed natural opacified lens

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Lens implant after cataract removal

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Capsular opacification

The natural lens capsule (skin) over which the IOL is supported sometimes gets opacified by nature’s attempt to remake the removed lens, causing vision to reduce. This is treated by making an opening in the capsule by YAG LASER and the vision is restored.

• DR is a blinding disease damaging the Retina of Diabetic Patients .
• About 30-35% of all diabetics have DR & about 6% have a sight threatening stage. The risk of going blind can be reduced from 50% to 2%.if DR is diagnosed & treated in time
• Good control of Diabetes & Hypertension helps to reduce DR risk.
• All diabetics must get their Retina checked for DR every year by an eye doctor who offers DR care.

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Diabetic Retinopathy services at Netra

• Screening diabetic people for DR at specially subsidized rates.
• Identifying high risk stage of the disease & treating these eyes with Laser Photocoagulation &/or Intravitreal injections to reduce threat of blindness
• Group talks to increase public awareness on DR

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Retinal Laser Photocoagulation

Laser coagulation or laser photocoagulation surgery is used to treat a number of eye diseases and has become widely used in recent decades. During the procedure, a laser is used to finely cauterize ocular blood vessels to stop leakage and swelling. Laser also burns away the nearly dead retinal areas to improve nutrition of healthy retinal areas making them last longer in life.

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Flourescein Angiography

Flourescein Angiography is sometimes required to find such dead or leaky areas

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Injection Vs. Laser treatment

once diabetic damage occurs in the retinal blood vessels, laser treatment and/or medicine injections may be required. Medicine injections take effect quicker than laser, but the benefits of laser last longer than injections.

• Prescribing glasses with utmost care by the most perfect method- Retinoscopy.
• Dispensing Contact leanses - Regular, Toric, Cosmetic.
• Optician service available in house.
• Laser Refractive surgery(LASIK) in assoiciation with local laser centers.
• Low vision Ads(LVA) for those having very poor vision.
• Pre school vision screening of childern upto 3 years of age.It is also taught to school teachers intersted in screening their student in school.This is done to identify Amblyopia(Lazy Eye) and treat it timely (Intersted contact may contact us)

• Holisticapproach and enough time given to each patient.
• Discreet use of drugs. investigations and procedures.
• Besides the presenting eye disease, patients advised on lifestyle changes (stopping 1obacco/alcobol intake), visual hygiene, proper method of using eye drops etc.

• Microsurgery for Cataract and Glaucoma.
• Squint management and surgery.
• Prevantive and curative surgery for retinal detachment
• Ocular plastic surgery for distorted eyelids, blocked eye drainage etc.
• Cornea care and Grafting to replace diseased cornea.
• Ocular injuries repair.

Audio-visual presentations to various groups and foras to increase general understanding of eye diseases, their treatment and prevention .

Decide to donate your eyes after your death and inform the same to your family members.

If you are witnessing a death event, please suggest eye donation to a responsible family member of the deceased. If your suggestion is accepted, undertake to contact an EYE BANK for further process yourself. Eyes should be collected within maximum six hours.

For VADODARA district contact the following

• Elmex Eye Bank- KGP Children Hospital : 0265-2463906
• Dr. Indumati T Patel Eye Bank- Vaduwala Eye Hospital: 9925044932
• SSG Hospital-Eye Dept- 0265-2424848, 2423122 (Ext. 441)

Till the Eye Bank team is contacted and arrives,

• Switch off the fan over the deceased body
• Close the eyes by hand and put a wet napkin over the eyes to prevent drying of eyes.