S'pore doctor creates new method

Singapore's eye surgeon Lee Jong Jian (right) has pioneered a new surgical technique that can help macular degeneration patients recover faster and with less pain. During the procedure called vitrectomy, he uses an equipment known as the 23-gauge system.

Usually, surgeons here use the 20-gauge system, which is larger in size. Because of this, the wound is too large to heal by itself and must therefore be stitched up. This will add at least half an hour to the procedure and for any surgery, the longer it takes, the more risk of infection and complications. In comparison, the new 23-gauge system uses smaller instruments and this allows the wound to heal by itself without stitches. It can benefit several conditions, include MD.

A vitrectomy uses specialised instruments to repair retinal disorders, many of which were previously considered inoperable. The initial step in this procedure is the removal of the vitreous - a jelly-like substance in the eye - by making three small incisions in the eye wall. Often performed under general anaesthesia, the operation can last an hour or more.

Dr Lee, who was a speaker at the MDS Forum last October, told The Business Times last year that he has successfully performed more than a hundred cases in the past year. With a high success rate of 85 per cent and a low risk rate of less than one per cent, he felt that the 23-gauge vitrectomy system will soon set the standards in retina-related surgeries. Raffles Hospital has so far invested more than $250,000 in the new system. Each procedure costs between $9,000 and $13,000, depending on the complexity of the case.

He stresses the need for good eye care. "Short-sightedness in children can stem from too much computer games, that's why I forbid my own kids to play X-Box or PlayStation!" he says. And where working adults are concerned, he advises at least a 50cm distance from the eye to the computer screen. He adds: "Ideally, you should rest your eye every half an hour. Just stop what you do and stare far away."

- Excepts from "There's new cure for retinal disorder" by Melissa Heng