What are the 3 types of eye surgery for adults above 50, especially the elderly?
The commonly performed eye surgery (and one of the typical types of surgery in general) is cataract surgery. Other commonly performed eye surgeries for those
Dr Jayant Iyer
Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist
MBBS, GDFM, MMed(Ophth), FAMS, FRCOphth
Dr Jayant Iyer
Dr Jayant V Iyer is Senior Consultant and Medical Director at The Straits Eye Centre based in Camden Medical Centre. He specializes in General Ophthalmology for conditions such as cataracts, dry eyes, refractive errors and diabetic retinopathy, with an added subspecialist expertise in glaucoma.
Fellowship-trained at Johns Hopkins in the USA, he was formerly Senior Consultant Glaucoma surgeon at The Singapore National Eye Centre. He was Head of its Clinical & Service Quality department, and Lead for its Global Ophthalmology office. He founded and runs The Vision Mission – an NGO that aims to alleviate treatable blindness in Asia and beyond.
For his contribution to the fraternity globally, he has been conferred the APAO Distinguished Service Award 2021, Novartis eXcellence in Vision Award 2019 and the Singapore Courage Fund Healthcare Humanity Award 2020. For his dedication to patient care, he also received the Singhealth Service Star Award 2022 and the Singhealth Covid Hero Award 2021.
He is passionate about eye care in the community and believes in strong partnership with primary care providers, as early detection of disease is key in keeping patients healthy and preserving their right to good sight.
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Eye & Cataract Surgery
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Oculoplastics
What are common eye surgeries you perform on a regular basis at The Straits Eye Centre?
At The Straits Eye Centre, we perform the following: a. Cataract surgery using the latest techniques (including femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) for added precision)
Are there different types of cataract surgery in Singapore?
In Singapore, nearly all eye surgeons use modern techniques (phacoemulsification) to perform cataract surgery. Some of us also use femtosecond laser-assisted techniques for certain patients
What is a cataract, and how is it treated?
Everyone’s eyeball has a natural crystalline lens that is transparent. When one grows older, the lens gets foggier – this is known as a cataract.
What causes a cataract to happen?
The typical cause of cataracts is ageing. By the age of 70, nearly all adults have cataracts. Other causes include trauma to the eye, chronic
What increases the risk of cataracts?
While ageing is the common cause of cataracts, other risk factors include taking steroid medications, smoking, and excessive exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation.
What is your vision like if you have cataracts?
In many people with cataracts, the vision gradually gets dimmer, and they may not even notice it. As the cataract worsens, it may cause foggy
What age do cataracts usually start?
Typically cataracts start from the age of 50 onwards. But there are individuals who may have cataracts at a much earlier age and individuals who
Can cataracts be removed too early?
No. In fact, in some instances (e.g. angle closure glaucoma), when cataracts are best removed at an earlier stage. The earlier one gets cataract surgery,
What age is suitable for cataract surgery?
Age is not a consideration. As long as the cataract is causing vision symptoms significant enough to impair one’s day-to-day life and work or is
Can cataracts be a cause of blindness?
Yes, indeed. It is, in fact, the leading cause of blindness in the world.
Can cataracts be cured successfully with surgery?
Cataract surgery is one of the safest surgeries in the world. Success rates in allowing one to achieve brighter, clearer and better vision are in
How to avoid cataracts? (Explain the importance of screening)
Cataracts cannot be avoided as one age. However, going for regular screening can help one keep a tab on conditions like cataracts, in addition to
What is meant by Oculoplastics?
Oculoplastics is a subspecialty in Ophthalmology that focuses on plastic and reconstructive surgery of the periorbital and facial tissues. This includes eyebrows, eyelids, forehead, the
How long does it take to recover from oculoplastic surgery?
There are many oculoplastic procedures. For eyelid procedures, the eyelids may have some bruising for 1 to 3 weeks following surgery. Many individuals are able
What is the difference between an oculoplastic surgeon and a plastic surgeon?
Oculoplastic surgeons are specialised ophthalmologists (eye surgeons) who have undergone additional fellowship training in the field of Oculoplastics following completion of general Ophthalmology training. A
What does an oculoplastic surgeon evaluate?
An Oculoplastic surgeon typically evaluates the structures around the eyes including the eyelids (eg. eyelid and eyelash position, eyebags), the orbit (eg. eye movements, protrusion
What is the success rate of eyelid surgery?
Studies have shown satisfaction rates of over 90% following eyelid surgery, making it one of the standard surgical procedures.
What type of patients do you generally see for eyelid surgery?
The common type of patients that see me for eyelid surgery include patients with ptosis (droopy eyelids) and eyelid lesions such as eyelid warts or
What are the risks of eyelid surgery?
The common risks of eyelid surgery are self-limiting swelling and bruising. Less typical risks include dry eyes, infection, unfavourable scarring, asymmetry and the need for
Is eyelid surgery high risk?
Eyelid surgery is generally very safe. Very rarely, extensive uncontrolled bleeding into the orbit of the eye may result in loss of vision. The incidence
Can eyelid surgery affect your vision?
Eyelid surgery usually will not affect vision unless there is the rare occurrence of bleeding into the orbit (retrobulbar haemorrhage) that may result in the
What is the recovery period of the eyelid of surgery? (same answer as Q2)
There are many oculoplastic procedures. For eyelid procedures, the eyelids may have some bruising for 1 to 3 weeks following surgery. Many individuals are able
How can an individual identify if they might be suitable for functional or aesthetic eye surgery?
For an individual to identify if they may be suitable for functional or aesthetic eye surgery, they will need to be formally assessed by an
