THE STAR, THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2020

WORLD SIGHT DAY

Keeping an eye on your vision

It is easy to take our vision for granted, but we must
take action when it matters so as not to lose our vision completely.
2 World Sight Day
Vision 20/20 and the right to sight
WHILST perfect vision is scored as 20/20 – a
visual acuity measured by the ability to
identify letters or numbers on a standard
eye chart from a distance of 20ft (or a little
over 6m) – Vision 2020 is a global initiative
established with the joint goal of eliminating
preventable blindness by the year 2020.
Refractive errors are among the major
causes of blindness listed in the Right to
Sight initiative by the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the International
Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
Causing blurred vision that may lead to
blindness when left untreated, refractive
errors occur in four variants – myopia
(near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-
sightedness), astigmatism (caused by an
irregularly curved cornea) and presby-
opia (difficulty in reading or seeing at
arm’s length).
Refractive errors and low vision
According to Dr Azlindarita @ Aisyah
Mohd Abdullah, consultant general and
paediatric ophthalmologist at MSU Medical
Centre, “Normal sight is enabled when light
entering the pupil is focused by the cornea
and the crystalline lens onto the retina.”
In myopia, where the eyeball is too long
or the focusing power of the lens or the
cornea is too high, the entering light focuses
in front of the retina. Correcting it requires
a concave or “minus power” lens.
Hyperopia involves the eyeball being too
short or the focusing power of the lens/
cornea being too low, in which case the
entering light focuses behind the retina. It is
a less common condition, yet still treatable
by a corrective convex or “plus power” lens.
When the cornea or the lens is more
curved in one direction than another in an
astigmatic condition, the entering light
focuses at different points in front of and
behind the retina. Whether occurring since
Dr Aisyah Mohd Abdullah.
birth or caused by post-traumatic corneal
scars, a growth on the eyelid pressing onto
the eyeball or allergic conjunctivitis
(causing itchiness that prompts scratching
and pressure on the eyelid), astigmatism
can be corrected by a cylindrical lens.
Low vision is defined by WHO as below
6/18 visual acuity, and equal to or better
than 3/60 in the better eye with best
correction. A corrected vision of 20/200 in
the better seeing eye renders the owner as
legally blind.
Signs and symptoms
Children below the age of two may
appear cross-eyed, tend to bring objects
very close to their eyes or come closer to
the objects (such as the television).
Abnormal head postures (AHPs) that they
adopt to improve vision such as a face turn,
head tilt or chin lift may indicate
astigmatism. Older children may squint or
decrease the eye aperture when looking at
A common misperception
among parents in Malaysia
who postpone treatment
in their children, is a fear of
glasses further worsening
an already deteriorating
vision. This fear is unfounded
as clear visual stimulation
is especially needed for
children to develop their full
potential.
distanced objects, besides possibly still
displaying AHPs.
Meanwhile, school-going children may
complain of headaches, eye strain or a plain
inability to see clearly in the classroom. Their
faulty eyesight could be the culprit behind a
poor school performance.
Refractive errors may be inherited or
result from a premature birth, and can occur
at any age. In 2010, myopia and high myopia
were respectively estimated to affect 27%
and 2.8% of the world population, according
to a joint report by WHO and Brien Holden
Vision Institute titled The impact of myopia
and high myopia.
Treatment options
A common misperception among parents
in Malaysia who postpone treatment in their
children, is a fear of glasses further
worsening an already deteriorating vision.
This fear is unfounded as clear visual
stimulation is especially needed for children
THE STAR, THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2020
to develop their full potential. Early
treatment will also help prevent amblyopia
or lazy eyes.
Glasses are the simplest option and carry
a lower risk of infection compared to contact
lenses. However, very high-powered glasses
can be uncomfortable to wear, warranting
the usage of contact lenses instead.
In China, Singapore, Hong Kong and South
Korea, atropine eye drops in low
concentrations have been used to delay
myopia safely. However, they should only be
provided by ophthalmologists who must also
monitor the patient’s vision power, as well as
eyeball length.
A special contact lens worn at night, called
the orthokeratology lens, has shown
promising results in slowing down the
progression of myopia in children. However,
it has a slightly higher risk of infection as it
is worn overnight and care may be lax on
the hygiene aspect.
Myopia usually progresses yearly and
stabilises by an individual’s late teens to
early 20s. Once over the age of 21, laser
surgery can be an option if the patient’s
affected eye is still not growing or changing.
Management and Science University
(MSU) offers the four-year Bachelor of
Optometry (Hons) and the three-year
Diploma in Ophthalmic Dispensing
programmes at the Faculty of Health and
Life Sciences (FHLS).
In a concerted effort at bringing vision
health’s importance into focus, the university
holds an annual MSU Eye Carnival organised
by the MSU Eye Centre, the MSU Optometry
Students Club and the FHLS Department of
Optometry and Visual Science.
With many children across the world
belonging to families who cannot even
afford an eye examination, blindness-
prevention aid by the university reduces the
statistics while helping children see better,
achieve more and excel in school.
THE STAR, THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2020 3
4 World Sight Day
Boost macular
pigment to
shield your eyes
ARE you constantly in front of digital
screens? The display screens of
smartphones, computers and other digital
devices emit significant amounts of blue
light which can hurt your vision. With its
short and high energy wavelengths, it
scatters more easily and is not easily
focused. This causes reduced visual contrast,
which can lead to digital eye strain.
The macula is the most sensitive part of
the retina, responsible for sharp, detailed
central vision and colour discrimination. It
is made up of three xanthophyll carotenoids
– lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z) and meso-
zeaxanthin (MZ) – which are collectively
known as macular pigment (MP). MP plays
a vital role in raising the macular pigment
optical density (MPOD) for enhanced visual
performance including visual acuity,
contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity and
photo-stress recovery, among others. MP
also serves as a
defence system
of the retina.
Of the many
types of
carotenoids in
your body, only
L, Z and MZ are
deposited in the
macula. L and
Z cannot be
synthesised
by your
body; they
can, however, be obtained through the diet.
Foods rich in L and Z include spinach,
broccoli, corn and eggs.
Unlike L and Z, MZ is not present in a
typical diet. It is produced in the retina from
L via an isomerisation process. However,
this process is disrupted as you age. MZ
accounts for about one third of total MP at
the macula. Moreover, of the three
carotenoids, it has the capacity to filter the
most energetic and potentially damaging
wavelengths of visible light, and to
neutralise free radicals produced by
oxidative stress.
You are never too young to start proactive
measures to protect your vision down the
road. As most of us do not get enough of
these carotenoids just from diets alone,
supplementation can be another, more
promising way of raising the MPOD,
particularly if you spend long hours in front
of a digital gadget or are distracted by lights
during night-time driving.
Not all macular carotenoid supplements
are made the same. For optimal efficacy,
look for a supplement containing the new,
improved XanMax formulation which
features double-strength (200mg) marigold
extract. It is standardised to deliver the
highest amounts of L, Z and MZ compared
to regular eye supplements.
n This informational article is brought to
you by VitaHealth. For more information,
call 1800 183 288.
How to take better
care of your eyesight
THE sense of sight is a gift that should be
treasured. Your eyesight is what lets you see
the many wonders of the world – the bright
blue sky, the colours of the rainbow and the
faces of your loved ones. However, your
eyesight can worsen if you do not take care
of your eyes. This is why you must take the
necessary precautions before your eye
problems become untreatable. Some of
the common eye problems that people
experience include near- or far-sighted-
ness, astigmatism, diabetic retinopathy
and cataracts.
Here are a few ways for you to take better
care of your eyesight:
l Give your eyes a rest
In this era filled with technology, most of
us will often find ourselves staring at a
screen for the majority of the day – whether
it may be from a computer or a phone. Too
much blue light exposure from computer
monitors, mobile phones and tablet screens
can cause you to get retinal damage, which
leads to age-related macular degeneration.
Prolonged use of digital devices can also
THE STAR, THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2020
lead to digital eye strain, the symptoms of
which include sore, tired, watery or dry eyes,
and blurred or double vision. What you can
do is avoid staring at your screen for long
periods. You can either decrease the amount
of time you spend in front of a screen or take
frequent breaks to give your eyes a rest.
l Wear sunglasses and protective
eyewear
Sunglasses aren’t just fashionable
eyewear, they help protect your eyes from
the sun. The sun does provide you with
vitamin D; however, too much sunlight is
not good for you. The sun is a major source
of ultraviolet rays which increase your
chances of contracting cataracts and
macular degeneration. Hence, you need
to protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses
that can block ultraviolet rays. This is
especially applicable if you work outside
and will be standing or walking all day
underneath the sun.
> TURN TO PAGE 6
THE STAR, THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2020
Paediatrics and
screening – an
eye on the future
UNCORRECTED refractive errors are a
significant cause of visual impairment in
the paediatric age group in many middle
income and developed countries, including
Malaysia. It is estimated that 1.4 billion
people worldwide are myopic and 163
million of these individuals (2.7% of the
world population) are categorised as having
high myopia. Published reports on myopia
prevalence in Malaysia show a relatively
lower rate at 9.8% in children aged seven,
which increases to 34.4% by the age of 15.
Overwhelming evidence has shown that
sustained, intense near-work is significantly
linked to the onset of myopia in children
and possibly the progression of myopia,
particularly in young adult-onset myopia.
With the recent Movement Control Order,
and extended periods of indoor activity and
gadget use, children are especially prone to
developing refractive errors.
Light-induced release of dopamine have
been shown to block any elongation of the
eye and is generally accepted as an
important mechanism of counteracting
myopia. Numerous studies have consistently
stated that children who spend more time
outdoors are less likely to be, or become,
myopic. With gadgets being increasingly
used for education in the classrooms,
avoiding them may be impossible. Instead,
limiting its use for entertainment,
encouraging outdoor activities and ensuring
good eye habits such as taking regular
breaks would be more practical solutions.
The World Health Organization initiated
Vision 2020 in 1999 with the aim of
eliminating the main causes of avoidable
and preventable blindness by the year 2020.
One of the strategies advocated was raising
awareness of the causes of avoidable
blindness and the solutions to help eliminate
them. It is hoped that in some small way, this
article contributes to the goal of raising
awareness of vision problems amongst the
population for the protection of those in
society at their most vulnerable age –
children and the elderly.
Uncorrected refractive errors are also
critical to address as they frequently affect
children, who do not usually complain of
visual symptoms – especially if it only affects
one eye. If uncorrected within the first
decade of life, it is likely that these children
would be bearing lifelong visual impairment
of variable severity in one or both eyes in
the form of amblyopia (lazy eyes). It is,
therefore, imperative that children are
screened at regular intervals, and that this
initiative is adopted nationally and executed
by all eye-care providers.
Children’s eyes and vision develop from
birth. Not only are the eyes learning to see,
but their brains are also learning to interpret
signals from the eyes. As such, the vision of
newborn babies is very blurry and their
Once a child has been screened and is found to have normal vision, parents just need to
ensure this is maintained.
appreciation of colours is primitive. They
can only perceive faces from as close as
eight inches to 10 inches (20.32cm to
25.4cm) away. Babies are unable to judge
distances very well until around five
months of age. After this, they begin to form
a better idea of the 3D world around them.
This process of visual development
continues until the age of 10 at least.
Prescribing glasses in children may not be
required from the outset, but close
monitoring is advisable as myopia usually
progresses with age. Once a child has been
screened and is found to have normal
vision, parents just need to ensure this is
maintained. In the interim, any child having
difficulty with his vision – such as when
reading or at school – should be examined
by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. A
child who requires spectacles would have
to undergo a review at least once or twice a
year to ensure that his prescription is stable.
As in any condition, early and timely
detection is the key to successful
management and good outcomes. Screening
services in other developed countries
advocate paediatric eye screening at several
determined ages in a child’s life:
World Sight Day 5
l All newborn babies – At birth by a
healthcare professional (any doctor), but
preferably by an ophthalmologist if the
baby was born premature
l Preschool (around the age of four or
five) – To assess visual acuity, squints and
refractive errors
l Before secondary school – Education
about eye care and a colour vision check if
they have specific career ambitions
l At any age if a child is diagnosed with
any other significant medical problems
(such as hearing loss)
l Annual assessments for children
between the ages of four and 12, especially
if they wear glasses
l Children who appear to have
difficulties at school or other tasks like
watching TV – By Dr Manoharan
Shunmugam, consultant ophthalmologist,
adult and paediatric vitreoretinal
surgeon, and Dr Sunder Ramasamy,
consultant paediatric ophthalmologist
and squint surgeon, OasisEye Specialists
Sdn Bhd
n For more information, visit www.oasiseye.
my or call 03-2730 7676.
6 World Sight Day
Protect your
eyes in this
digital world
DO you spend hours staring at your
smartphone screen every day? Do you know
that eyeballing a digital screen for long
hours can affect your eye health? Blue light –
the high-energy visible light emitted by
digital screens – is one of the damaging
contributing factors that can cause adverse
effects to the eyes.
According to a We Are Social study titled
Digital, Social & Mobile in APAC in 2015, 71%
of Malaysians owned a smartphone and
spend averagely 5.1 hours a day on the
Internet. Constant eye exposure to
potentially damaging blue light from
smartphones and other digital devices cause
visual stress that will damage the retina,
accelerate vision deterioration and increase
the risk of developing age-related eye
diseases at a much earlier age.
While limiting the amount of time spent
focusing on screens is one of the precautions
to protect the eyes in this digital world, good
nutrition is also one of the key factors that
can promote healthy eyes.
Six key nutrients for heathier
eyes
1) Marigold – Naturally rich in lutein and
zeaxanthin, which are important in
promoting healthy eyes. A report by the Age-
Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2)
Research Group titled Secondary analyses of
the effects of lutein/zeaxanthin on age-related
macular degeneration progression: AREDS2
report No. 3 and similar clinical studies have
shown that 10mg lutein and 2mg zeaxanthin
are beneficial for eye health. Lutein and
zeaxanthin in combination can filter
harmful blue light, ultraviolet (UV) rays and
neutralise free radicals.
2) Haematococcus pluvialis – A type of
freshwater green microalgae that is
naturally high in astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is
an antioxidant that can alleviate eye fatigue.
3) Wolfberry (Goji) – Naturally high in
polysaccharides and carotenoids.
Traditionally used for improving eye health.
4) Eyebright – Traditionally used for relief
of eye strain or eye fatigue.
5) Bilberry – Source of anthocyanosides
which provides antioxidant protection,
strengthens eyes function, and delivers
nutrients and oxygen to the eyes.
6) Dunaliella salina – A type of green
microalgae that is naturally high in mixed
carotenoids including beta carotene, alpha
carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin to support
eye health.
High strength, improved
formulation
Biogrow OPTIbrite E Capsule is a high
Users should take only one capsule daily after a meal for healthy eyes.
strength six-in-one improved formulation
for eye health. Each vegetable capsule
contains amounts of 10mg lutein and 2mg
trans-zeaxanthin extracted from marigold,
astaxanthin from haematococcus pluvialis,
anthocyanosides from bilberry and other
eye health-enhancing nutrients from
wolfberry, eyebright and dunaliella salina.
It is recommended for ageing adults,
students, computer users, individuals
aiming to improve or maintain eye health,
individuals experiencing eye strain or tired
eyes due to reading, driving, prolonged use
of digital devices (such as smartphones or
tablets), and individuals who are frequently
involved in outdoor activities and exposed
Check your eyes
before it’s too late
> FROM PAGE 4
Another type of eye protection is safety
eyewear, which can protect you from eye
injuries. This is applicable for when you are
doing a hazardous activity where your eyes
could get injured such as working at a
construction site, welding metal or doing
repairs. There are also various sports where
protective eyewear and headgear are needed
– ice hockey, lacrosse and American football,
for example.
l Consume food that boosts eye health
Food isn’t just a source of joy and energy.
Every type of food has its own health
benefits – more importantly, there are types
of foods that are good for your eyes. Foods
containing omega-3 fatty acids can treat dry
eyes and protect adult eyes from macular
degeneration. Oily fish such as tuna, salmon,
trout, sardines and herring are rich in
omega-3 fatty acids.
There are various types of fruits and
vegetables that are beneficial for your eyes
such as green leafy vegetables, rich citrus
fruits and carrots. Carrots are rich in vitamin
THE STAR, THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2020
to UV rays.
Users should take only one capsule daily
after a meal for healthy eyes. Biogrow
OPTIbrite E Capsule is certified halal by
the Islamic Development Department
(Jakim) and is suitable for vegetarians too.
It is available in all leading pharmacies
nationwide.
This article is brought to you by Legosan
(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
n For more information, visit www.biogrow.
com.my or call 03-7956 2220 (Mondays to
Fridays, 9am to 5pm).
This is a traditional product advertisement.
KKLIU No.0011/2020
A and beta-carotene which help soothe eye
inflammation and reduce vision loss. It also
lowers the risk of macular degeneration
and decreases your chances of developing
eye infections. Meanwhile, citrus fruits such
as lemons, oranges and grapefruit are rich
in vitamin C. Observational studies say that
vitamin C can also help prevent the
progression of age-related macular
degeneration.
l Get your eyes checked
One way of knowing the current
condition of your eyes is to get an eye
examination. This way, you can find out if
you have any eye problems. A
comprehensive eye exam will include a
vision test to see if you are near- or far-
sighted, or have distorted vision.
Furthermore, a tonometry test will
measure the pressure inside your eye in
order to check for glaucoma – a group of
eye conditions that damage the optic nerve.
Always remember that prevention is
better than cure. Don’t forget to take care of
your eyesight before it’s too late.
THE STAR, THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2020
No longer an unattainable dream
LOW visual acuity with underlying
refractive errors may be caused by
genetics or arise from poor lifestyle
choices. Whichever the case may
be, poor eyesight can be a struggle
that many people would be able to
relate to. From wearing glasses
every day or misplacing them, to
facing the risk of breaking said
eyewear while playing sports, it is
a constant battle that these
individuals have to deal with.
Thankfully, such predicaments
can be a thing of the past.
Nowadays, there are solutions
to a wide range of health-related
problems, including vision issues.
There are several refractive
surgeries that an individual can
choose from, one of which is
LASIK. It is a common laser eye
surgery to treat myopia (near-
sightedness), hyperopia (far-
sightedness) and astigmatism.
Ever since LASIK received
approval from the United States
Food and Drug Administration in
1998, experts have worked
continuously to refine the
procedure to make it safer and
more effective. Ara Damansara
Medical Centre consultant
ophthalmologist Dr Norazah Abdul
Rahman says, “LASIK has evolved
so much for the past 20 years.
The number of patients receiving
this treatment have been
increasing, and numerous
revisions have been done to
improve the procedure to make
it better and safer. This is a sign
that the public is confident with
this treatment.”
Full evaluation
After living with the major
and minor inconveniences of
poor eyesight, some people may
jump at the opportunity to have
their vision restored. Yet, while
LASIK surgeries are a popular
choice, not everyone is eligible
for the procedure.
Before a LASIK procedure
can be done, a preoperative
evaluation has to be carried out
on a potential patient to assess if
she is a suitable candidate.
The potential patient will first
have to provide a full disclosure of
her medical history, as well as
undergo a series of pre-screening
tests with the help of various
specialised machines.
Dr Norazah assures that these
are nothing to be afraid of and
explains that it is important for a
patient to go through all these tests
as the results can affect the
From the inconveniences of misplacing eyewear to breaking them, such
predicaments can be a thing of the past with LASIK surgery.
outcome of the surgery. This will
be discussed in greater detail
when patients go for a laser eye
surgery consultation.
l Dry Eye Test
Dry eyes are the most common
eye problem detected during a
LASIK pre-screening test. Patients
who are already suffering from dry
eyes will be more uncomfortable
post-surgery as the eyes tend to be
drier during the healing phase. Dr
Norazah says the attending doctor
would usually advise patients to
treat their dry eyes first before
proceeding with LASIK surgery.
l Pupil Test
Using a special tool called an
infrared pupillometer, a test is
performed to assess the size of the
pupil in the dark. This is an
essential test to be carried out as
patients with larger-than-normal
pupil sizes often experience halos
or glares at night after the LASIK
surgery. As most patients heal, this
night vision and light sensitivity
will gradually diminish. The use of
wavefront technology when
performing LASIK has been able to
address these night vision issues.
l Pachymetry and Corneal
Topography
This vital 3D examination helps
to map out the surface and
thickness of the cornea. It assists
the doctor to identify some corneal
abnormalities such as keratoconus.
LASIK surgery should not be
recommended when the cornea is
too thin. There is a risk of
developing corneal ectasia, which
is when the inner layers of the
cornea become weak and cause the
cornea to change shape, protrude
forward and distort vision. Other
options can be offered, such as the
implantable collamer lens which is
starting to gain popularity among
this group of patients.
l Wavefront Analysis
This is a refractive analysis
using wavefront aberrometry to
measure optical aberrations, with
special attention to higher order
aberrations. Originally developed
by an astrophysicist for the
use of telescopes, wavefront
analysis studies how light travels
through a patient’s eye with
customised 3D mapping of its
unique imperfections.
These eye tests should not take
longer than 30 minutes in total and
patients will be able to get their
results immediately. It is only after
Before a LASIK procedure can be done, a preoperative evaluation has to be carried out on a potential patient to
assess if she is a suitable candidate.
The number of
patients receiving
this treatment have
been increasing, and
numerous revisions
have been done to
improve the procedure
to make it better and
safer.
all the tests are conducted, and the
patient deemed eligible, that the
ophthalmologist would proceed to
the next step and discuss the LASIK
options with the patient.
A LASIK procedure requires
surgeons to cut a thin flap in the
cornea so that they can reshape
the underlying corneal tissue.
Patients can choose whether to
opt for a procedure that uses a
blade or go bladeless.
Traditionally, in order to create a
flap during the LASIK procedure, a
mechanical microkeratome is used
to manually cut across the cornea
with an oscillating blade –
however, the existence of the
femtosecond laser has made it
easier for surgeons to create a flap
without the use of a blade.
A femtosecond laser produces
ultrashort pulses of energy that
separates corneal tissue at the
molecular level. Dr Norazah says,
“These tiny bubbles will create a
plane in between the layers of the
cornea and will separate itself to
create a flap, hence why it’s called
‘bladeless LASIK’.”
The usage of a femtosecond laser
during the LASIK procedure gives
the surgeon more options in flap
Am I eligible?
Here are some criteria that
patients should follow before
undergoing this surgery:
l Patients must be at least
18 years old
l Those who wear contact
lenses must discontinue their
usage prior to LASIK screening
to allow the cornea to return to
its natural contour
Dr Norazah Abdul Rahman.
size, shape and orientation for a
more customised treatment of
each patient’s needs. The
femtosecond laser technology is
computer-guided and it can help
the attending surgeon to establish
precise dimensions and thickness
of the corneal flap. Dr Norazah
explains, “In terms of creating the
flap, the outcome is more
predictable in using femtosecond
lasers compared to mechanical
microkeratome where the doctor
has to manually cut across the
cornea. All complications from
using mechanical microkeratome
can be avoided with a
femtosecond laser.”
The next step is when the
cornea is reshaped by an excimer
laser. The patient will be given an
option of standard LASIK or
wavefront LASIK. In simple terms,
standard LASIK correction uses
the prescription in a pair of
eyeglasses to correct vision. This
reduces or eliminates the need to
wear glasses or contact lenses.
However, it can cause other types
of optical aberrations which may
lead to visual problems –
l The eyes must be healthy
and free from eye diseases
including keratoconus, glaucoma,
cataracts, as well as retinal and
optic diseases
l Any eye problems such as
lazy eye (amblyopia), muscle
imbalance (strabismus), severe
dry eyes or any other recurrent,
residual or active eye conditions
World Sight Day 7
especially at night in the form of
glares and halos around lights.
Meanwhile, wavefront LASIK
was designed not only to correct
refractive errors, but to also
correct higher order aberrations.
It is just like taking a ‘fingerprint’
of the eye. Wavefront LASIK uses
technology for a more accurate
procedure, being highly effective
in correcting higher order
aberrations for better vision
quality. Suitability for the two
LASIK procedures vary from one
patient to another.
The final decision can be made
during a detailed consultation.
Speedy recovery
Dr Norazah also notes that the
recovery process after this
procedure is very fast. However,
certain side effects such as dry
eyes and temporary visual
disturbances are pretty common.
She says, “You may feel that your
eyes are unusually dry after the
surgery and it may last for the next
three months, so the doctor might
recommend using eye drops to
treat it. Plus, you may have
difficulty seeing at night, but this
generally lasts a few days to a few
weeks.” She emphasises that in
order to detect a regression,
patients should not be skipping
their yearly check-ups.
Dr Norazah advises patients not
to rush with their decision to
proceed with LASIK surgery. “It is
an elective procedure, so the
choice is yours. You always have
an option on whether to do it if the
eyes are deemed suitable, and
other options can be
recommended if an eye is not
suitable for LASIK.”
n For more information, call
03-7839 9303 (Mondays to Fridays,
9am to 5pm).
should be disclosed to the doctor
as they may affect the outcome
of the surgery. Female candidates
should disclose to their doctor if
they are pregnant, currently
breastfeeding, taking birth
control pills or having
menopause as these hormonal
changes may affect the LASIK
results.