From May 2018 we have launched our Urgent Eyecare service. This service is available to patients with acute eye conditions such as foreign body, red eye, sore eye, eyelid cyst, flashing lights etc. Please phone our clinics to make an appointment. We aim to see patients on the same day where possible but we will always see patients within 48hours. This service is available Monday – Friday. Please note this is not a walk-in service and appointment must be made by telephone. The cost for this service is €150 for private patients and for patients will a full, valid medical card there is a fee of €50 (for investigations and scans). Please advise your patients that they must bring their medical card with them.

Our surgeons are highly skilled at assessing and removing (where required) eyelid lesions such as cysts and styes. We also syringe and probe tear ducts in the case of blocked tear ducts and watery eyes. These procedures are carried out in house.

What is a Yag laser capsulotomy?

A Yag capsulotomy is a special laser treatment used to improve your vision after cataract surgery. It is a simple, commonly performed procedure which is very safe.
During your cataract operation, the natural lens inside your eye that had become cloudy was removed. A new plastic lens was put inside the lens membrane (called the bag or capsule) in your eye. In a small number of patients, the capsule thickens after surgery and becomes cloudy. This interferes with the light reaching the back of the eye. When this happens, your sight becomes misty, and you may get glare in bright light or from lights at night-time. Capsule thickening can happen in the months or years after your cataract operation. Yag laser capsulotomy is the only way to treat this. Apart from affecting your vision, the thickening does not damage the eye in any way. In a Yag laser capsulotomy the doctor uses a special lens to apply a laser beam to the capsule. This creates a small hole in the centre of the capsule, which lets light through.

What happens during a Yag laser capsulotomy?

This procedure can be performed at both our Naas and Ranelagh practices. You will be in the clinic
for approximately 1 hour in total. Drops will be inserted to dilate your pupil and to numb the surface
of your eye. You will then sit at a machine which has a special laser attached. The doctor will put a
mirrored lens on your eye before applying the laser beam. The treatment is painless due to the
anaesthetic drops used to numb your eye before the laser and takes approximately 5-10 minutes.

Can both eyes be done at the same time?

While it is possible to have YAG laser performed on both eyes (if required) on the same day, we
recommend they are done on separate visits.

What are the benefits?

The laser treatment is to remove the cloudy capsule thickening in your eye, which aims to restore
your vision to how it was after your cataract operation.

Are there any risks?

Complications after this treatment are very uncommon. There is a small risk of:
– Increase in pressure in the eye
– Inflammation in the eye
– Incomplete clearing of thickened capsule
– Build-up of fluid in the eye (cystoid macular oedema)
– Retinal detachment

Are there any alternatives?

An alternative to a Yag laser capsulotomy is to do nothing. The capsule may or may not continue to
thicken. If it does, you may wish to consider a Yag laser capsulotomy at a later date.

What happens after the procedure?

After the treatment, most patients find that their vision is usually blurry for up four hours from the
drops. Bright lights can also be bothersome. Because of this, it is advised that you have someone to
drive you home. It is normal to have itchy, gritty or sticky eyes and mild discomfort for the
remainder of the day after the treatment. You will be asked to come to the outpatient department a
few weeks after the laser treatment to make sure your eye has settled down properly
Anti-inflammatory drops may be prescribed after the laser treatment. These help to minimise
inflammation within the eye.

Presently, we have commenced a specialist dry eye clinic in both our practices. This service is headed by our nurse specialist Olive Denneny. This service involves the latest Blephex procedure which has had very positive results in treating blepharitis. We use punctal plugs and ikervis eye drops to maximise the treatment for these cases.