Plus eye condition is characterized by the inability to see objects that are up close. Well, there are several ways to deal with plus eye so that the sufferer can see better, from wearing glasses to undergoing surgical procedures.
Eye plus or farsightedness is a vision disorder that makes it difficult for sufferers to see objects at close range. On the other hand, plus eye sufferers can see objects that are far away more clearly.
Plus eye vision disorders occur due to light entering the eye does not fall directly on the retina, but behind it. This is caused by an eyeball that is too short or an abnormal shape of the cornea or lens of the eye.
In addition, there are several other factors that can increase a person's risk of suffering from plus eye, including:
- Having parents who suffer from eye plus
- Over 40 years old
- Suffering from diabetes
- Have eye disorders, such as small eye syndromemicrophthalmia) and iris abnormalities (aniridia)
- Have a tumor around the eye
Not only that, a woman who has a habit of smoking during pregnancy can also increase the risk of her child experiencing plus eye in the future.
Various Ways to Overcome Eye Plus
To overcome the plus eye, it is necessary to first check by an ophthalmologist. Your doctor can determine whether you have plus eye or not through a visual acuity test.
If the results of the visual acuity test show that you suffer from plus eye, the doctor will perform a retinoscopy examination to see the condition of the retina of the eye and determine the appropriate treatment.
Here are some ways to deal with plus eyes:
1. Wearing glasses
Using glasses is the simplest way to treat plus eyes. Glasses can bend light so that it falls on the retina of the eye. Thus, the vision will be clearer.
The shape and color of the glasses can be chosen as desired. However, you still need to follow an eyeglass prescription from your doctor when buying glasses. This is important so that the type and size of glasses fits your eye condition.
2. Using contact lenses
If you feel uncomfortable wearing glasses, you can use contact lenses to treat plus eye. Just like glasses, contact lenses also aim to focus light onto the retina for clearer vision.
However, contact lenses are generally more expensive than glasses and require more careful care. Improper use of contact lenses can actually trigger eye health problems, ranging from minor eye irritation, eye infections, and even blindness.
Therefore, it is recommended that you ask your doctor first about how to use and care for contact lenses before deciding to use them.
3. Undergo surgery
In addition to using glasses and contact lenses, plus eye can also be treated with refractive surgery procedures. Refractive surgery aims to repair the cornea of the eye permanently. Thus, the patient's dependence on glasses or contact lenses can be reduced.
There are several types of refractive surgery that can be performed to treat plus eye, including:
LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis)
LASIK is one of the most common surgical procedures performed to improve vision function. This operation is performed by scraping the corneal tissue of the eye using a laser beam so that light passing through the cornea can be perfectly captured by the retina.
LASIK surgery is considered to have a high success rate in treating visual impairment. More than 95% of patients who undergo this surgery have improved vision.
PRK (photorefractive keratectomy)
PRK is a plus eye treatment procedure that is performed by removing the top layer of the cornea or eye epithelium first. After the epithelium is removed, the doctor will use a laser to reshape the corneal layer and correct the abnormal curvature of the eye.
To be able to carry out the PRK procedure, you must meet several conditions. Some of them must be 18 years and over, have healthy corneas, do not have cataracts or glaucoma, and do not have diabetes.
LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis)
LASEK is one way to treat visual impairment that combines PRK and LASIK surgery methods.
In the LASEK surgery procedure, the doctor will make a shallow incision in the epithelial layer. Next, the doctor will apply an alcohol solution for 30 seconds so that the epithelium can open more easily.
After the epithelium is opened, a laser beam will be used on the middle layer of the cornea (stroma) to correct the shape of the cornea so that light can fall directly on the retina.
CR (conductive keratoplasty)
In contrast to the three previous types of eye surgery procedures, conductive keratoplasty not done with a laser, but by channeling heat energy into the cornea of the eye.
Not only to treat plus eyes, the CR method can also be used to improve eye complications that occur due to LASIK surgery or cataract surgery.
Some of the above surgical procedures can permanently improve vision function. However, in some cases, eye surgery can cause side effects and complications. Examples are dry eyes, sensitivity to light, or decreased vision function some time after surgery.
To maintain eye health while preventing eye plus from getting worse, you need to take eye care, such as wearing sunglasses when doing outdoor activities, avoiding staring at the screen for too long gadget, and have regular eye exams at least once every 1-2 years.
If you have questions about how to treat plus eye or have plus eye vision problems and want to improve it, don't hesitate to consult a doctor for advice and appropriate treatment.