Eyelid Surgery, BOTOX® Injections, Treatment for Eye Infections and More at Our Practice in London
Mr Bailey has a special interest in refractive surgery, but that is only part of what our practice offers. Our ophthalmology practice also provides eye care treatment for a wide range of eye complaints, from eyelid problems to eye infections, glaucoma to diabetic eye disorders. We also offer BOTOX® Cosmetic at our London practice to smooth lines and wrinkles, as well as to treat specific medical problems. In addition, we offer a wide selection of contact lenses at our practice.
Ophthalmic Medical Services
Mr. Bailey is trained and experienced to provide a wide variety of medical treatments and services for a number of eye infections and disorders at our state-of-the-art London practice.
Eye Care for Blepharitis
Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids that can also involve the surface of the eye. It is one of the most common eye infections and often extremely irritating. Although blepharitis does not usually cause permanent damage to the surface of the eye, it can in severe cases. Some people are prone to blepharitis (in the same way that some are prone to getting skin spots). The condition is permanent but can almost always be controlled. For specific treatment information on blepharitis and other common eye infections, please contact our London practice.
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Cataract Surgery
Cataracts - cloudiness in the lenses of the eyes - are very common as people get into the sixties and beyond, and are still a leading cause of blindness in some parts of the world. Fortunately, cataract surgery is an option for London residents suffering from this vision problem. Cataract surgery is performed under local anaesthetic, without a hospital stay. The cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a lens implant. It is now even possible to replace the cataractous lens with an implant that is able to focus - this allows a person to see objects that are both up close and far away.
For more information about cataract surgery, please contact eye surgeon Mr C Steven Bailey.
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Treatment for Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is probably the most familiar of all eye infections. It has many causes, but the culprit is usually bacteria or a virus. Conjunctivitis causes redness, sticky discharge or watery eyes, and a gritty or 'heavy' feeling of the eye and is usually not very serious. Sometimes conjunctivitis goes away on its own without any treatment, but some varieties of conjunctivitis can be very damaging. One of the most common viral conjunctival inflammations often spreads in epidemics and can harm the vision if not treated promptly. Patients suffering from conjunctivitis eye infections should visit our London practice so we can recommend the best course of treatment.
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Treatment for Corneal Erosions
Recurrent pain and watering upon waking in the morning may be caused by breaks in the transparent surface skin of the eye. Usually the process starts after the eye has been scratched accidentally. There are several treatments, including lubricants (in the early stages), botulinum toxin (BOTOX™), eye-drops and tablets that help stabilise the surface, bandage contact lenses, and laser treatment. We will advise on the most appropriate management and can offer the full range of treatments.
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Treatment for Patients with Diabetes
Diabetes can cause blindness. People with diabetes should have their eyes examined by an ophthalmologist every year. Good diabetic control is very important in preventing problems. If necessary, laser eye surgery treatment can sometimes be used to treat vision problems.
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Eye Care for Eyelid Disorders
From cosmetically troublesome tags and cysts to out-turning (ectropion) or in-turning (entropion) of the lids, eyelid problems are very common. If you are suffering from an eyelid disorder, outpatient surgery performed under local anaesthetic may be able to solve your problem.
Eyelid cysts ('chalazia') are treated from inside the eyelid. The skin is not harmed.
Skin lesions such as seborrheic keratosis, papillomas and moles can be removed by radiosurgery without damaging the deeper skin.
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Treatment for Eye Floaters
Eye floaters are a common complaint at our London practice. They are caused by changes in the vitreous gel, a jelly-like substance that fills most of the eyeball. Eye floaters tend to form gradually throughout one's lifetime, but can sometimes appear suddenly.
If eye floaters suddenly appear, it is very important that an ophthalmic surgeon examines your eyes as soon as possible. This is because eye floaters can be associated with the formation of a hole in the retina (the light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eye). If the hole is not sealed, retinal detachment can occur. Retinal detachment is very serious and can lead to blindness.
If you have an eye floater associated with a tear in the retina, Mr Bailey can seal the tear using laser eye surgery or, occasionally cryo (freezing) therapy, if the eye is examined quickly. Laser treatment and cryotherapy only take a few minutes, and patients can go home immediately afterwards. It is vital to contact us quickly because an operation in hospital will be needed if the hole is left too long.
If an annoying eye floater still remains, it can often be broken up into tiny, virtually invisible particles using another laser. This treatment, called YAG laser vitreolysis, again only takes a few minutes and is completely painless.
For more information about eye floaters, contact our London practice.
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Glaucoma Treatment
Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness, but vision can be saved if the problem is detected early enough. Glaucoma is associated with raised pressure in the eye, which impedes the flow of blood into the eye. The light-sensitive elements inside the eye are then deprived of blood-borne nutrition and die.
Acute glaucoma comes on very quickly. It causes pain and blurred vision. Medication and laser eye surgery are the most effective treatments for acute glaucoma.
Chronic glaucoma is the common form. It develops very slowly and affects the periphery of the vision first. The field of vision is gradually eroded until only a tunnel of vision remains in the centre. Even this tunnel will be extinguished if the condition is not treated.
People with chronic glaucoma often do not realize that there is a problem until the later stages of the disease. This is because the periphery of the visual field is damaged first, and we are not very sensitive to changes in our peripheral vision. Therefore, it is important to undergo glaucoma testing about every two years starting at around age 40. If you are at increased risk for glaucoma (i.e., you have a family history of the disease), you may want to begin receiving tests earlier in life
Screening tests at our London office involve testing eye pressure, examining the field of vision, and looking at the back of the eye. These are all straightforward and safe tests that should be part of the routine eye examination.
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Eye Care for Keratitis
Keratitis, or inflammation of the cornea, has many causes. It results in redness, pain (usually achy pain), and watering. Often bright lights make the pain worse and vision tends to be blurred. Keratitis is potentially sight threatening. Keratitis eye infections are most common in contact lens wearers and those with eye disorders that affect their natural defenses. It usually needs very urgent treatment if permanent damage is to be avoided. Mr Bailey is experienced in treating keratitis eye infections. Contact our London practice to learn more about keratitis treatment.
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Treatment for Keratoconus
Keratoconus is the most common of several conditions that result in a progressive distortion of the cornea (the clear window into the eye). Normally, the cornea has an elliptical cross section. However, in people with keratoconus, the cornea bulges and assumes more of a cone shape. This affects the way light enters the eye and causes distorted vision. Keratoconus often appears in the teens or early twenties. It always affects both eyes although one eye can be worse affected than the other.
Keratoconus comes on slowly and can be difficult to detect in its early stages. Patients with this vision problem typically report symptoms such as distorted or blurred vision, glare, and light sensitivity. Nearsightedness and astigmatism often accompany the disease.
Mr. Bailey offers corneal collagen cross-linking with riboflavin (C3-R) as the first line of treatment for keratoconus. C3-R is the only treatment that can stabilise the condition.
To correct the vision of patients with mild keratoconus at our London practice, Mr. Bailey may prescribe glasses or soft contact lenses. But as the disease progresses, spectacles and soft contact lenses may no longer work to correct vision. If this is the case, our next method of vision correction is typically rigid gas permeable contact lenses. These lenses mask the surface of the cornea better than soft contact lenses .
If the condition has already progressed to a point where gas permeable contact lenses do not give adequate vision, Mr. Bailey may recommend Intacs, plastic inserts that are placed just under the surface of the eye. They improve vision by flattening the cornea. For patients with extremely poor vision due to keratoconus, Mr. Bailey may occasionally recommend a corneal transplant.
To learn more about keratoconus treatment, please contact our London practice today.
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Treatment for Keratopathy
Keratopathy is a general term for disorders of the cornea not caused by inflammation. Some patients with keratopathy need to use eye drops or ointments, some can manage the problem with bandage contact lenses, and others need laser eye surgery or microsurgery.
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Pterygia and Pinguecula
A pinguecula usually appears a yellowish raised area on the white of the eye. They are harmless but can be unsightly and warrant removal.
Pterygia are wing-shaped folds of tissue that grow across the surface of the cornea. Mr Bailey will remove them if they are threatening the vision or if they are causing discomfort.
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Treatment for Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a common cause of reduced vision and blindness in London and throughout the UK. It usually affects people over age 50, though there are some rare forms of the disease that can affect younger people. Macular damage can also be caused by eye injury, inflammation, infection, or diabetes.
People suffering from macular degeneration usually notice a reduction in the central part of their vision. For example, they may see an outline of a face but not the features. They may also have trouble judging distance, matching similar shades of the same colour, viewing straight lines, or noticing details in general.
If caught early enough, some forms of macular degeneration can be treated with laser eye surgery at our London practice. There is evidence that taking dietary supplements (antioxidants/free radical scavengers) may help in preventing other forms. If you believe you may be suffering from macular degeneration, please contact the eye surgeon at our London practice immediately to schedule an appointment.
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Uveitis (Iritis)Treatment
This inflammation is usually in the front chamber of the eye, between the clear window (the cornea) and the coloured iris, but it can spread further back into the eyeball. Uveitis eye infections usually cause redness around the cornea, aching pain, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision. It can cause permanent damage to the sight and needs prompt treatment. Patients with uveitis eye infections should contact our London practice to receive treatment.
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BOTOX® Cosmetic Injections
We also offer BOTOX® injections at our practice in London, England. BOTOX® is a non-surgical treatment that can help reduce the appearance of frown lines, forehead creases, and crow's feet near the eyes. It can also successfully treat some disorders of the surface of the eye and reduce annoying tics. It is made from a form of botulinum toxin and works by temporarily reducing the contraction of muscles under the skin of the face. After receiving BOTOX® injections at our clinic in London, patients will notice the dramatic reduction or complete elimination of deep facial creases. It may take several treatments for deep lines to be treated. For optimal results, patients will need to return to our practice for BOTOX® injections initially about every three months. After the first few treatments this time interval can often be extended considerably.
Mr Bailey is also experienced in using BOTOX® for medical purposes such as treating facial and eyelid muscle spasm.
In you are interested in receiving BOTOX® injections, please contact our clinic in London today.
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Contact Lenses
From disposable contact lenses to highly specialized, made-to-measure, gas-permeable and soft lenses, our practice offers a wide selection of contact lenses in many different materials to meet your eye care needs. Please visit our clinic in London so that we can advise you on the contact lenses that are right for you. We also fit coloured contact lenses to disguise damaged or misaligned eyes.
For more about our general ophthalmology treatments and services, contact our eye surgeon today.
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