Eye Centre

Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the eyes, leading to diabetic retinopathy and an increased risk of glaucoma. Careful blood sugar control is the best way to prevent vision loss, alongside regular eye examinations every one to two years for people with diabetes.

AMD affects the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision, and comes in two forms: dry AMD, which causes slow, gradual vision loss and accounts for most cases, and wet AMD, which involves abnormal blood vessel growth and can cause rapid, severe vision loss. Regular self-monitoring with an Amsler grid can help detect early changes in vision.

This condition affects premature babies, where blood vessels in the retina grow abnormally and can lead to blindness if undetected, since early stages show no visible signs. Regular eye examinations for premature infants are essential, and advanced cases are treated with laser therapy or cryotherapy to slow the abnormal vessel growth, with scleral buckle surgery or vitrectomy as further options.

Glaucoma refers to a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve, usually due to raised eye pressure, and is a leading cause of blindness in people over 60. Because vision loss from glaucoma is permanent and often has no early symptoms, regular eye pressure checks are important; treatment with medication, eye drops, laser or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss once detected.

This rare condition affects babies and young children, usually caused by an eye drainage system that didn't develop properly before birth, leading to raised eye pressure that can damage the optic nerve. Treatment may include eye drops, oral medication or surgery, depending on the underlying cause.

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is becoming increasingly common worldwide, and it raises the risk of more serious conditions later in life, such as retinal detachment and myopic macular degeneration. For children, low-dose atropine eye drops are currently the most effective way to slow its progression.

The most common refractive errors are myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia, each causing blurred vision in different ways. Depending on the type, treatment ranges from prescription glasses to laser vision correction procedures such as PRK, LASIK, SMILE or PRESBYOND.

Keratoconus causes the cornea to gradually thin and bulge outward, leading to blurred vision and light sensitivity, usually starting between ages 10 and 25. Depending on severity, treatment ranges from glasses or rigid contact lenses to corneal collagen cross-linking, and in advanced cases, a corneal ring or corneal transplant.

Amblyopia occurs when the eye and brain do not coordinate properly, causing reduced vision that glasses alone cannot fully correct. Treatment may involve specially tailored glasses or patching therapy, where the stronger eye is covered to encourage the weaker eye to develop.

Dry eye syndrome happens when the eyes don't produce enough tears or tears evaporate too quickly, often linked to aging, screen time, certain medications or environmental factors. Treatment usually involves artificial tears and lifestyle adjustments, with eyelid surgery considered for patients whose dry eye stems from an eyelid structural problem.

Commonly known as "pink eye," conjunctivitis is inflammation of the eye's outer membrane caused by viruses, bacteria or allergens. Treatment depends on the cause — antibiotic drops for bacterial cases, cool compresses for viral cases, and antihistamines for allergic cases — alongside good hygiene practices to prevent spreading it to others.

A chalazion is a small, usually painless lump that forms in the eyelid when an oil-producing gland becomes blocked. Warm compresses and eyelid massages are often enough to resolve it, though prescribed medication may be needed if inflammation develops.

Sometimes called "surfer's eye," pterygium is a growth of tissue over the white part of the eye that can extend toward the cornea, most common in sunny, dry climates. Artificial tears can ease irritation, but surgical removal with a graft is the most effective long-term treatment.

A cataract is the clouding of the eye's natural lens, most often related to aging, and can affect people of any age including children (congenital cataract). The most effective treatment is cataract surgery, which removes the clouded lens and replaces it with an artificial one — with monofocal or multifocal intraocular lens options available depending on the patient's vision needs.

Not all contact lenses suit all eyes, and an ill-fitted pair can cause blurry vision, discomfort or even eye damage. A customised fitting goes beyond a standard eyeglass prescription, involving additional eye examinations to assess eye health, discuss lifestyle needs, and take precise eye measurements — ensuring patients are matched with lenses that are both comfortable and safe for daily wear.

This service covers the eyelids, eye sockets and tear duct system, addressing conditions such as droopy eyelids (ptosis), eyelid malposition, eyelid tumours, lacrimal system blockage, bulging eyes, and eye socket reconstruction. It also includes more complex procedures such as eye evisceration and enucleation, and reconstructive surgery following trauma or growth removal — restoring both comfort and natural appearance around the eyes.

Neuro-ophthalmology addresses vision problems caused by the nervous system rather than the eye itself, and is managed in close collaboration with neurologists, neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons. It covers a wide range of conditions, including optic neuritis, optic neuropathies, cranial nerve palsies, unexplained vision loss, and headaches or migraines linked to vision. The service also supports visual rehabilitation for patients recovering from stroke or traumatic brain injury, helping to significantly improve their quality of life.

Previously known as ReLEx SMILE, ZEISS SMILE is a more advanced, minimally invasive form of laser vision correction. Instead of creating a full corneal flap, it uses a femtosecond laser to shape a small lens-like piece of tissue within the cornea, which is then removed through a very small incision — meaning no flap is created at all.

This keyhole approach helps preserve more of the cornea's natural structure and nerves, which is associated with a faster recovery, a lower risk of dry eyes, and less impact on the eye's biomechanical strength compared to traditional LASIK. It is a good option for patients with active or sport-focused lifestyles who want to reduce their dependence on glasses or contact lenses.

ZEISS PRESBYOND is a specialised form of laser vision correction designed for presbyopia — the natural, age-related loss of near vision that typically begins around age 40. Using the ZEISS MEL® 90 excimer laser together with advanced treatment-planning software, PRESBYOND applies a technique called Laser Blended Vision, which fine-tunes each eye's depth of field and blends them together so the brain perceives one continuous, clear image at near, intermediate and far distances.

This is different from traditional monovision, where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for near — a method only 59–67% of patients successfully adapt to, compared with up to 97% for Laser Blended Vision. PRESBYOND is especially suited to patients who lead active lifestyles and want to reduce their dependence on reading glasses, and it can also correct presbyopia occurring alongside myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism.

First introduced in the late 1980s, PRK is one of the earliest forms of laser vision correction and remains relevant today for a specific group of patients. Rather than creating a corneal flap, PRK reshapes the surface of the cornea directly using an excimer laser, after the thin outer layer of cells (the epithelium) is gently removed; this layer naturally regrows during healing.

Because no flap is involved, PRK is particularly well suited to patients with a relatively thin cornea or an existing corneal scar, who may not be ideal candidates for LASIK or SMILE. Visual recovery is generally slower than with flap-based procedures, but PRK remains a well-established and widely accepted option.