At The Hampshire Clinic in Basingstoke, Hampshire, highly experienced Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeons provide expert assessment and treatment for a wide range of eye and vision problems in people aged 16+.
Whether you are interested in reducing your dependency on glasses or have recently noticed changes in your vision that are causing you concern, our Consultants would be delighted to meet with you and help you access the most appropriate support for your needs.
In a healthy eye, light is able to easily pass through the clear lens at the front of the eye. This lens precisely focuses the light onto a specific part of the back of the eyeball known as the retina. The retina transforms the light energy into electrical impulses, which are sent to the brain along the optic nerve. The brain processes these electrical impulses in order to give us our sight.
With such complexity involved, it is easy to see that a problem in any part of these parts of processes has the potential to affect vision. When you have any concerns about your vision or the health of your eye, it is important to get expert assessment as earlier treatment may help to avoid further damage to the eye or additional loss of vision.
Many factors can affect vision and eye health, including disease, injury, ageing and illnesses such as diabetes.
The people who visit The Hampshire Clinic for help with an eye-related problem will often complain about one of the following symptoms:
- Blurred vision
- Reduced vision
- Glare / dazzle – this may be more noticeable when driving at night
- Colour losing intensity
- Increased light sensitivity
- Eye pain
- Squints
- Lumps and bumps around the eye – these may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous)
- Droopy eyelids – these can interfere with vision
- Eyelid malpositions
- Watery eyes due to blocked tear ducts
- Bulgy eyes
If you have any of these symptoms, a private Ophthalmology appointment can help to determine the cause and the most appropriate treatment for you.
- Common causes of eye problems, including:
- Cataracts – cause the lens at the front of your eye to become cloudy, preventing light from being able to pass through it as easily as normal. Becomes more common in people aged 60+
- Glaucoma – long-term raised pressure in the eyeball causes damage to the optic nerve. If left untreated this may eventually lead to loss of sight
- Dry eyes
- Blepharitis – itchy / swollen eyelids
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – affects the central part of your vision
- Diabetic retinopathy – a complication of diabetes, affecting the blood supply to the retina
- ‘Lumps and bumps’ around the eye and eyelids – such as a stye, chalazion or tumour
- Inflammation – such as uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer in the eye) and conjunctivitis
- Eyelid problems – commonly, these are drooping eyelids (Ptosis) or eyebags that are hanging over the eye and reducing vision
- Eyelids turning in (Entropion) or turning out (Ectropion)
- Tear duct problems
- Bulgy eyes – may be caused by an overactive thyroid or a tumour
It is important to know that many eye conditions cannot be fully cured, although symptoms can often be successfully managed with the appropriate treatment.
Once they have carried out a comprehensive assessment, your Consultant will talk you through suitable treatment options so that you can make an informed choice about your treatment.
- Cataracts will normally get worse over time, so early treatment is often advised. In cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial, clear one. Cataract surgery can be life-changing for many people, who are thrilled to be able to see clearly once again.
- If you currently wear glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision, you may consider lens replacement surgery. The natural lens of your eye is removed and replaced with an artificial one that is tailored to your specific vision correction requirements. Your Consultant will talk you through the premium choices available at The Hampshire Clinic, which include multifocal or toric lenses.
- Eye drops or ointments will often be used to treat conditions like dry eyes, blepharitis and conjunctivitis.
- Glaucoma can often be managed with special eye drops that lower the pressure in the eye. If these eye drops are not as effective as required, surgery may be required. The most common type of surgery for this is a trabeculectomy, which involves draining some of the fluid from the inside of the eye in order to lower the pressure. Unfortunately, neither of these treatment options will repair any damage to the optic nerve but they may help to prevent further damage.
- Diabetic retinopathy may be treated by an injection into the eye or surgery.
- Unfortunately, there is no cure for age-related macular degeneration, but modern advanced treatments such as a vascular endothelial growth factor antagonist (VEGF) may help slow its progress.
- If your vision is being affected by a sagging upper eyelid, Ptosis surgery can be carried out to tighten the muscles that hold the eyelid in place.
- Oculoplastic surgery can be carried out on-site by experienced eye surgeons for conditions affecting the eyelids, eye socket or lacrimal (tear) ducts.
Treatment will always be tailored to your specific requirements and will be led and directed by your Consultant at all times, providing you with excellent continuity of care.
* Please note that at The Hampshire Clinic we do not provide laser refractive surgery or vitreoretinal surgery. Our Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeons will be happy to see you for assessment and will then refer you to the most appropriate specialist outside the hospital if required.
When you first meet your Consultant at The Hampshire Clinic, they will ask you about your symptoms in detail and then carry out a comprehensive examination of your eyes. Known as an ophthalmologic examination, this is used to determine your current vision and to assess the health of your eyes.
They may carry out a visual field test to measure your peripheral vision (your ability to see to the sides). If cataract surgery or lens replacement surgery is required, they will take special measurements of your eyes.
Scans such as ultrasound, CT or MRI may be required for some symptoms and conditions, and these will be arranged for you at the hospital at the earliest opportunity.
Once any results are back, your Consultant will discuss them with you and talk through treatment options. If you have any questions or concerns, they will be very happy to talk about these with you.
While people living in and around Basingstoke choose to visit us for their private eyecare, our close proximity to the M3 and M25 motorways makes travelling to us easy, and we see a number of people from places like Farnborough, Sandhurst, Camberley and Swindon.
Many people are referred to us by their optician, GP or private medical insurance provider. Others are recommended to us by a friend or family member. We treat people with private medical insurance as well as self-pay patients.
A medical referral can be helpful, but you can self-refer.
At The Hampshire Clinic, you will benefit from:
- Fast assessment from an expert - Many eye conditions are best treated at the earliest possible stage in order to avoid further visual deterioration or damage to the eye. We can arrange a private appointment for you with an experienced Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon without delay.
- Personalised care – Any treatment you require will always be tailored to your specific requirements (for example, bespoke premium lens implants are available). Treatment will be led and directed by your Consultant.
- Patient satisfaction – In an independent survey, 98% of patients said they were likely or extremely likely to recommend us to their friends and family.
For peace of mind and known expert care, why not book your private eye appointment today?
