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First rate eye surgery education for optom team

Last week was a busy one as the optometry team were guests at the Centre for Sight in East Grinstead, for their 2013 optometry education day. The private eye clinic is run by Mr Sheraz Daya.

This pioneering eye surgeon performed the first laser vision correction procedure (LASIK) in the UK in 1995. He has since developed a number of surgical techniques and has been involved in the area of Stem Cell Transplantation and tissue engineering. He is the surgeon responsible for performing the stem cell graft that has started to improve the vision of Katie Piper, the model who was left blind in one eye after an acid attack. Mr. Daya has also invented a series of innovative ophthalmic instruments for use in Corneal Transplantation, Collagen Cross Linking (CXL), Laser refractive Surgery and more recently femtosecond laser cataract surgery. He has devised a new technique called “Trans-lens Hydrodissection” which enables easy removal of the lens during laser cataract and lens surgery We heard lectures from the resident surgeons at the clinic.

Talking on the most recent developments in corneal, laser refractive, and cataract surgery. We also heard from a guest lecturer on treatments for retinal eye disease and keratoconus. A highlight of the day was watching Mr Daya perform live cataract surgery. The last time I scrubbed in to see cataract surgery was as a pre-registration optometrist at Ninewells hospital – how things have changed! The state of the art laser which Mr Daya also uses to perform “blade free” laser corrective surgery was used to do some of the most complex parts of the procedure. The highly accurate laser made precise incisions in the lens of the eye, while Mr Daya sat back and watched. This part of the surgery now being “hands free”. The introduction of this type of laser makes recovery times for the patients as little as just a couple of hours.

Other surgical advances included implantable contact lenses in single vision, toric and multifocal forms for correction of long and short sight, astigmatism and presbyopia. Visiting the centre for ourselves and discussing the procedures with the people who perform and develop them really impressed on the us the improvements being made in the field of ocular surgery.

It was a long day and a lot of travel but we believe it is vital for our optometrists to get the very latest information on surgery so that we can advise our patients better on treatment options.

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