Types of Eye Surgery

Eye surgery, also called ocular surgery, is cosmetic surgery usually performed on an eye or its posterior parts, usually by an optometrist. The eye is such a delicate organ, and needs extreme attention to minimize or prevent further injury to the eyes without creating additional issues. Surgery is frequently used to correct vision problems, such as astigmatism, myopia (nearsightedness), presbyopia (farsightedness), or hyperopia (presence of nearsightedness or astigmatism). Ocular surgeons perform many different types of eye surgery – cataract surgery, rhinopasty, glaucoma surgery, corneal implants, refractive surgery, etc.

Most eye surgery done in the United States is cataract surgery. Cataract surgery relieves the pressure on the eye, which in turn relieves the pressure on the lenses, causing blurred vision or halos. Sometimes there is a small hole in the eye, called a glaucoma, caused by a disease called glaucoma. In order to detect if this is the case, a physician will pin-point the internal eye drainage, called intraocular pressure, by looking at the eyeball. If the eye does not produce enough intraocular pressure, then this is a sign of glaucoma.

Prior to eye surgery, the physician anesthesiologist will determine which anesthesia to use. Many physicians prefer monitoring sedation, however, some do so because of side effects caused by monitoring sedation. Some studies have shown that, while monitored sedation can be effective, it does not always lead to the desired result, especially when multiple surgeries are required. While anesthesiologists use a variety of anesthetic agents, the most commonly used are nitrous oxide, local anesthetic, and muscle relaxants. No matter which type of anesthetic is used, the physician anesthesiologist will monitor the patient’s vital signs, like blood pressure and heart rate, throughout the operation.