1. CATARACT SURGERY

Cataract is an eye condition where clouding of the normally transparent lens of the eye results in reduced vision. We perform two kinds of surgical operations for treating cataract:

Suture Procedure

• After cleansing the eye area, the patient is covered with a cloth except for the eye to be operated.
• Eyelids are kept open with the related instrument.
• Conjunctiva, the membrane lying on the eye surface, is opened at the upper cornea, and the physician enters the eye through a deep incision in the same region.
• The front membrane of the lens is opened either in round or flat form. The nucleus of the lens is removed by manual pressure.
• The remaining residues of the lens except the membrane are removed with an eye-specific solution.
• An artificial intraocular lens is implanted within the remaining purse-like membrane of the lens.
• The procedure is completed after the incision is closed with fine nylon suture.

No-stitch Procedure - Laser Cataract Surgery

• After cleansing the eye area, the patient is covered with a cloth except for the eye to be operated.
• Eyelids are kept open with the related instrument. Interior eye is reached through a tunnel-like small incision from the upper or outer part of cornea.
• Small openings are provided on one or two sides of cornea for auxiliary instruments.
• Through the incisions, a special gel is pumped beneath the cornea so that the form of the eye is preserved.
• A round hole is made in the front membrane of the lens. The remaining front membrane of the lens is separated from the lens material by injection of a liquid.
• Nucleus of the lens is loosened, broken and sucked out by phacoemulsification probe.
• Another probe of the phacoemulsification machine removes the remaining lens material.
• At this point, artificial lens opens; the procedure is completed without suturing of incision.
• The soft artificial lens, which is folded by means of special instruments, is implanted within the natural lens membrane of the eye.
• Another alternative is to partially enlarge the incision and to implant a non-folding lens with a small diameter. Again, the procedure is completed either without a stitch or with "one stitch" for safety.

2. STRABISMUS SURGERY

•  Our center makes interventions on certain muscles depending on shifting of the eye and performs operation on either one eye or both eyes.
•  Surgery of crossed eyes in children requires general anesthesia while local anesthesia can only be used in adults.
•  Glasses or prism may be a necessity after the operation; in some cases a second surgical operation is required.
•  Early surgery can yield better results in children whose crossed-eye condition has been stabilized. Thus we recommend planning of a surgery before school-age, if necessary.

3. GLAUCOMA SURGERY

Through surgery we can successfully treat glaucoma, which can be defined as a threatening condition for vision at its late stages.

Trabeculectomy

• An opening is created in the thin membrane at the junction of iris and the white of the eye.
• The connective tissue sclera is flapped in half depth and with a width of 3-4 mm.
• The underlying trabecular meshwork is partially removed so that drainage of aqueous humor will be facilitated.
• In addition, a small part is extracted from the peripheral iris.
• Then, sclera and the thin membrane are closed with fine stitches.
• This procedure can be conducted with anesthetic eye drops.
• Vision is restored within a few weeks after the surgery.

Iridectomy

Laser iridotomy is mostly preferred in treating close-angle glaucoma. In the patient's condition does not allow for laser or the laser treatment does not yield a successful result, a surgical opening is created in the peripheral iris.

Non-penetrating surgeries

Aqueous humor is transferred under conjunctiva. However, a not complete hole is created throughout the layer of the eye. Special effort is exerted for preserving the integrity of the inner structure, called endothelium, because this membrane acts as a filter. Certain complications of glaucoma surgery are eliminated with the partial incision.

4. TEAR DUCT SURGERY

Following a detailed examination, a dull needle enters tear duct opening for liquid injection after the exclusion of any other reasons for wetting of the eye.

Blocked or narrow tear ducts are prevalent in infants but usually the condition is relieved before one year of age. Probing is applied under general anesthesia if the blockage is not removed by that time. When this procedure fails, the patient will undergo a surgical operation at following years (by the age of 4).

Surgery is the most preferred method in adults. Technique changes depending on the level of blockage and some cases require intubation procedure. In this case, the tube is left within the eye for a long time (6-10 months at least).