No worry now about eye woes

MANILA, Philippines - “We are living in a time when you no longer have to worry about vision problems or even blindness. We are fortunate that now there are technologies and facilities that can cure, correct and remedy practically all kinds of eye problems,” said Dr. Edward Uy, cornea, external disease and refractive surgery surgeon of Advanced Vision Laser Center.  

He added that with the establishment of the Advanced Vision Laser Center, Filipino patients “don’t need to go abroad to get the best eye services.” 

The center was established in 2005 with the aim of providing ophthalmologic innovations to people handicapped by eye problems.

Located at the Makati Medical Center, it is one of the few clinics in the country that is fully equipped with all the modern diagnostic and therapeutic instruments capable of medical and surgical treatment of all ophthalmologic diseases, from the cornea to the retina and everything in between.  

Uy said it is now possible to correct all errors of refraction using the state-of-the-art Nidek Advanced Vision Excimer Laser System. 

With this equipment, patients suffering from refractive problems such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism, presbyopia, can be treated and enjoy clear vision sans the hassle of eyeglasses.

Even those suffering from retinal diseases can have their retina scanned with detailed images that make diagnosis and treatment even more efficient. This is possible using the Heidelberg Retinal Angiograph (HRA2), a high-tech system of laser scanners that supplies real-time digital images of the retina, and the Microperimeter, which provides true retinal sensitivity data as well as a quantitative analysis.

These modern devices are helpful for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition usually of older adults whereby loss of vision occurs in the retina’s center visual field. 

Both machines allow doctors and even patients, to have a clear picture of the degeneration happening in the macula and monitor the size of the lesion in the retina.

Before these technologies, AMD was untreatable, leaving thousands of elderly patients totally blind. But now, there is a newfound hope, more so with the latest advancement in medicines and the introduction of ANTI-VEGF injections, like Ranibizumab, from Novartis Healthcare. 

Dr. Rory King Go, Advance Vision Laser Center’s vitreous and retinal disease specialist and cataract and refractive surgeon, said, “Apart from lasers, we also administer anti-VEGF injections which help stop blood vessels from growing, thus slowing down leakage and vision loss. With this, a lot of AMD patients are saved from completely losing their vision and are given a second chance to see clearly again.” 

Indeed, with these advancements in technology and medicines, patients can gain visual independence from eyeglasses to blinding eye diseases. 

Despite these hi-tech equipment procedures, both Uy and Go agreed that patient education and family support, especially for elderly patients suffering from AMD, remain a crucial element during the treatment phase all the way to the recovery process.

For more information, visit the Advanced Vision Laser Center or check out its website www.advancedvision.com.ph.