Our M/S Surgery Center is dedicated to outpatient eye surgery. It is approved by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the State of California, Medicare, Medi-Cal and most private insurance companies.

The Center is equipped with state-of-the art phacoemulsification and laser units to ensure the best results ever. The eye surgeons at the Shammas Eye Medical Center are experts in eye surgery and have performed thousands of these surgeries.

YAG LASER

Dr. Shammas is an expert in laser surgery and has contributed scientific articles and a chapter in his book on Laser Eye Surgery. Laser surgery has been one of the greatest advances in treating eye disease. Laser instruments are available at the Shammas Eye Medical Center – M/S Surgery Center and all treatments are performed in the medical facility without the need to go to the hospital.

The YAG (yttrium-aluminum-garnet) laser uses an invisible infrared light to cut thin membranes inside the eye. The YAG laser is commonly used after cataract surgery.

During cataract surgery, the posterior capsule of the lens is left in place, and the intraocular lens is placed right in front of it. This capsule can sometimes become cloudy. This can happen as early as few months or as late as few years after the surgery.

The neodymium-YAG laser opens the cloudy membrane and restores clear vision, without the need of any additional surgery. The procedure is performed as an outpatient procedure in the Surgery Center. The laser treatment is fast and painless.

ARGON LASER

Dr. Shammas is an expert in laser surgery and has contributed scientific articles and a chapter in his book on Laser Eye Surgery. Laser surgery has been one of the greatest advances in treating eye disease. Laser instruments are available at the Shammas Eye Medical Center – M/S Surgery Center and all treatments are performed in the medical facility without the need to go to the hospital.

The Argon laser is a thermal laser that uses a green light. The light is converted to heat when it reaches the eye. In most situations, Argon laser surgery will not provide great improvement in vision, but it helps prevent further loss of sight. Some of the conditions treated by Argon laser include:

• Retinal Tears and Holes - The retina is the inner layer of the eye that senses light and helps you to see. If the retina tears, it can separate from the back wall of the eye. The laser helps bond the retina to the wall of the eye, preventing a retinal detachment.
• Diabetic Retinopathy - Eye disease from diabetes is a major cause of vision loss. Diabetes can cause blood vessels in the retina to grow abnormally. The vessels can leak fluid or bleed inside the eye. Laser treatment seals these leaking vessels to decrease the risks of additional bleeding and to prevent further visual loss.
• Central vein occlusion - Patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure can occasionally burst the retinal veins and bleed inside the retina. Laser treatment seals these leaking vessels to decrease the risks of additional bleeding and to prevent further visual loss.
• Glaucoma - Glaucoma damages the optic nerve because the fluid pressure inside the eye is too high. Eye drops are the usual way to treat glaucoma. If eye drops do not control pressure within the eye, laser treatment may be used to create tiny openings, allowing fluid to drain and reduce pressure.

Cataract Surgery

The treatment of a cataract is the surgical removal of the cloudy lens and replacing it with a clear plastic lens, called a “lens implant”. The time for cataract surgery can vary with the degree of impaired vision and how it handicaps the individual patient's lifestyle. Someone who leads an active life and relies a great deal on the eyes for reading or driving will need cataract removal at a much earlier stage than someone with less critical visual needs.

The decision for surgery is made by the ophthalmologist in consultation with the patient. When cataracts are left in the eye long past the stage of blindness, they can cause inflammation and glaucoma. With our present methods of cataract removal, the operation can be performed at any stage of development with a high rate of success.

Click here to learn more about Cataract Surgery

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