Biography

Dr. Mohamed Omar Youssef specializes in treating keratoconus disease using various methods, such as total corneal transplantation, partial corneal transplantation, and ring transplant for corneal fixation. Dr. Mohamed obtained a doctorate in this particular specialty.

Keratoconus is a common disease in Egypt and the world. It causes a gradual weakening of the cornea that usually begins at an early age or in adulthood as a result of weak connections between the collagen fibers that make up the cornea. 

A cone-shaped cornea leads to an increase in the degree of convexity of the cornea and a change in its surface from a dome-shaped to a cone-shaped one, which reduces its thickness. 

This disease also results in distortion of the cornea, blurred vision with glasses, in addition to a high degree of astigmatism.

There are several methods for treating keratoconus, such as:

• Collagen Cross Linking 

Collagen cross-linking is the first procedure to treat keratoconus in its early stages. The main goal of this procedure is to stop the deterioration of the disease by strengthening the surface of the cornea using riboflavin technology.

This operation is performed by removing the epithelial cells in the cornea’s front surface and then placing drops of riboflavin (vitamin B2) on the surface of the cornea. Then, UV rays are directed at certain degrees to the surface of the cornea to activate the effect of the riboflavin drops and increase the bonds forming the surface of the cornea (collagen bonds). After these procedures, the corneal tissue strengthens, and keratoconus progression stops completely.

• Intra Corneal Rings

Implanting rings for keratoconus is one of the most important operations that contribute to treating the problems resulting from keratoconus progress. This action is taken if the degree of corneal curvature exceeds normal levels when the patient’s vision measurement changes at frequent intervals.

This procedure is done by implanting specialized rings inside the corneal tissue to modify its surface and get rid of its large degree of convexity. Intra Corneal Rings significantly contribute to improving the patient’s level of vision over time.

This step is usually followed by keeping the new cornea in place using stitches, called sutures.

• Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

Photorefractive Keratectomy is one of the most advanced procedures used in keratoconus. This procedure allows the surface to be reshaped first with a corneal imprint laser, followed by traditional keratoconus procedures relying on riboflavin drops and ultraviolet light.

This procedure contributes to effectively correcting vision and to preventing the progress of keratoconus again.

• Corneal transplantation

Corneal transplantation is the last procedure Dr. Muhammad Omar Youssef resorts to when keratoconus progresses significantly, or when central opacity appears on the surface of the cornea.

There are 2 types of corneal transplant:

• Total corneal transplants: This type of corneal transplant is the most famous one. Dr. Mohamed Omar replaces the cornea with another cornea from a donor. This cornea is obtained from the Cornea Bank in the United States according to special specifications.
• Partial corneal transplantation: It is the newest and most important method of corneal transplantation. Dr. Mohamd Omar replaces only the damaged layers of the cornea, without replacing the entire layers of the cornea. This helps in speed up recovery, increasing the operation success rate, and reducing rejection rates. 

Instructions After Corneal Surgeries

Dr. Mohamed Omar Youssef – the best ophthalmologist in egypt – points out a set of important instructions that must be adhered to after corneal operations. 

These instructions include:

• Avoid rubbing the eyes: All of the previous procedures are performed on the surface of the cornea. This exposes the surgery to failure if the eyes are rubbed incorrectly
• Use all prescribed drops at the specified times: These drops include antibiotic drops, anti-inflammatory drops, and lubricating eye drops. The first one protects against infection, the second reduces pain and inflammation after operations, and the third protects the eye from dryness that may delay recovery from the operation.
• Make sure to schedule regular visits to the doctor to monitor the condition of your cornea after the operation to avoid any complications that may occur.

Dr. Mohamed Omar Youssef, the best ophthalmologist in Egypt, performs cataract removal surgery using laser or phaco in less than 5 minutes under local anesthesia. 

Dr. Mohamed Omar Youssef is widely regarded as the top ophthalmologist in Egypt, particularly due to his outstanding scientific contributions globally and his innovation of a new surgical technique in the development of iris repair surgeries during cataract surgery (Single Suture Customized Loop for Huge Iridodialysis Repair During Phacoemulsification), earning him the recognition of having the best surgical technique worldwide at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery conference in 2015.

Cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens, leading to blurry vision and progressive vision impairment. Cataracts typically start in a small part of the lens and gradually spread, causing vision weakness or a feeling of fog obstructing vision. In such cases, surgical intervention is necessary to remove the cloudy lens and implant a new lens in its place.

Cataract Types and Causes

There are several types of cataracts, differing in their causes, as follows:

1. Senile cataracts, the most common type, occurring naturally with aging.
2. Congenital cataract, resulting from genetic factors or viral infection during pregnancy.
3. Cataracts resulting from untreated eye diseases, often due to neglecting treatment for retinal detachment or uveitis.
4. Cataracts caused by long-term use of corticosteroids.
5. White water may also result from direct eye trauma.

Medical Techniques for Treating Cataracts

1. Phacoemulsification (Ultrasound Waves): In this technique, a small incision is made near the cornea, and then ultrasound waves are directed at the opaque lens to break it up, followed by its removal and thorough cleaning of the lens place. This procedure does not typically cause astigmatism after its completion.
2. Femto Cataract: Similar in goal to phacoemulsification, but with a different technique for lens fragmentation, relying entirely on femtosecond laser technology for either lens fragmentation or astigmatism correction during the procedure.
3. Surgical Cataract Operation: Unlike the previous two procedures, this operation involves completely removing the lens through a relatively large surgical incision near the cornea. Recovery from this procedure typically takes longer compared to phacoemulsification or femto cataracts.

This procedure is only resorted to when the cataracts in the eye are dense or difficult to remove using the previous two methods.

Book your appointment now with the best doctor for cataract operation.

Can Cataracts be Treated Without Surgery?

Many people fear entering operating rooms, especially if it involves the eye, a sensitive organ that can be painful if even a speck of dust enters it. Therefore, they seek easy solutions first, such as those looking for non-surgical treatments for cataracts, whether through eye drops or oral medications.

In fact, at present, there is no treatment for cataracts other than the surgical procedures mentioned earlier.

To make you reassured, Dr. Mohamed Omar Youssef – the best ophthalmologist in egypt– confirms that these operations are completely safe, and there are no serious complications if performed under the supervision of a skilled and experienced physician.

What Is the Success Rate of Cataract Surgery?

The success rate of cataract surgery using phaco or laser techniques is around 99%, while the success rate of traditional surgery for treating cataracts is around 95%. This rate increases when the operation is performed by a proficient doctor and decreases if performed by a doctor lacking sufficient practical and scientific experience.

When it comes to vision correction surgeries, it’s not just about choosing from a list of procedures that the patient feels might suit them or fix their vision problems. It requires experience, professional integrity, and a qualified doctor to perform these surgeries after selecting the best option for the patient, ensuring the highest visual efficiency, and minimizing any postoperative complications.

At Dr. Mohamed Omar Youssef’s center, we have the latest types of medical devices used in vision correction surgeries, prepared to perform all types of these surgeries under the supervision of an expert and distinguished medical team.

The most important surgeries performed by Dr. Mohamed Omar Youssef are:

• Contoura Vision LASIK: This is one type of laser that corrects vision defects according to the unique contours of the surface of the cornea, treating associated vision problems such as various visual distortions.
• Custom LASIK and Femto Custom LASIK: These procedures rely on customizing a laser profile for each patient, then applying this laser to the cornea to correct vision and treat associated problems such as night vision weakness, color contrast deficiency, and various visual distortions, allowing the patient to achieve the highest visual efficiency.
• Femto-LASIK: This procedure relies on the femto laser to cut and lift the surface layer of the cornea, then applying the excimer laser directly to the corneal surface to correct vision defects.
• Femto-Smile: This procedure is one of the most important surgeries performed to treat severe myopia and cases with thin corneas. In this procedure, the surface layer of the cornea is not lifted, but the femto laser is used to separate the inner corneal layers, then the desired layer (such as the lens) is extracted through a small incision in the cornea’s side.
• Surface Laser: This procedure is performed for cases suffering from mild vision weakness, also without lifting the surface layer of the cornea. It involves only removing the epithelial cells lining the corneal surface, then applying Custom LASIK or OptiLASIK laser to the cornea to correct vision defects.

Will vision return to 6/6 after LASIK surgeries?

That depends on the nature of the surgery performed on the patient and the visual defects they had. If the patient only suffers from refractive errors and to a mild degree, the likelihood of their vision returning to 6/6 after the surgery is higher.

However, if they have visual distortions and haven’t undergone one of the specialized surgeries for treating visual distortions alongside refractive errors, they may still face some difficulties in vision.

Generally, vision returns to 6/6 in most cases undergoing LASIK surgeries, but on the condition of selecting the most suitable surgery for the patient and undergoing it by the Best Ophthalmologists near you in Egypt.

Dr. Mohamed Omar Yousef performs lens implantation surgery to correct Myopia and farsightedness. It’s a simple procedure that takes less than 5 minutes under local anesthesia and serves as an excellent alternative to laser vision correction for cases unsuitable for such procedures.

Difference between Lens Implantation and Lens Replacement:

Lens Implantation: This type of procedure is for patients under 40 years old, where the eye muscles responsible for focusing have weakened. In this process, the new lens is implanted in front of the original lens directly.

ICL lenses, implanted on the original lens, are considered the best type of lenses. The procedure takes only about 5 minutes and has helped avoid complications associated with other lens implantation methods, such as damage to the corneal endothelium. These lenses are permanent and are not rejected by the body.

Lens Replacement: In contrast, this procedure involves removing the old lens and replacing it with an artificial one, suitable for individuals over 40 whose eye muscles have weakened.

Best Types of Lenses Implanted in Front of the Eye Lens:

The ICL lens is the best of these lenses. It’s flexible and lightweight, making it very easy and quick to implant, taking no more than five minutes under local anesthesia. The body accepts it for life, and it’s never rejected by the immune system. Additionally, this lens is not visible to the naked eye after implantation, thus not altering the natural appearance of the eye.

As the lens is soft and flexible, it can be folded easily and inserted into the eye through a very small incision that is not visible to the naked eye. Therefore, the procedure is performed under a surgical microscope, and the lens insertion takes less than a minute. This foldable lens automatically unfolds upon entering the eye, taking its final position between the iris and the natural lens, thereby correcting vision defects easily.

Newest Types of Lenses That Can Be Implanted Instead of the Eye Lens:

• Monofocal IOL: This lens type is the most common and widely used in lens implantation surgeries, aiding in getting rid of glasses for long distances while the patient still needs glasses for close distances.
• Toric IOL: This lens type is designed specifically to correct astigmatism.
• Multifocal IOL: This lens type completely eliminates the need for prescription glasses and contact lenses, enabling clear vision for both near and distant objects simultaneously, although the brain needs some time to adapt to the new lenses.

Can I choose the type of lens I want?

The responsibility of choosing the type of implanted lens lies with the best ophthalmologist in egypt, based on accurate diagnosis before the procedure, knowing all the details about the patient’s vision problems, their occupation, and lifestyle, as not all types of lenses suit all patients. However, if several types of lenses are equally suitable for implantation, the doctor guides the patient in choosing the appropriate type, explaining the features and drawbacks of each type.