Retinal detachment: Get it treated urgently!
Retinal detachment (retinal tear) can be compared to appendicitis. This condition requires the same immediate medical attention, otherwise, the vision may be irreversibly lost.
Below we tell you why retinal detachment is such a serious condition and what to do to preserve your vision.
Causes for retinal detachment
The retina is the thin inner membrane of the eye, which receives light impulses and then sends all information through the optic nerve to the brain.
Actually, thanks to this successful interaction, we can see what surrounds us, we can read, drive a car, look at small details.
What causes retinal detachment? The most common cause is a retinal tear. Then the intraocular fluid, like the volcanic lava, comes out of the tear and lifts or pulls the retina away from the choroid. This is how a detachment occurs. It can happen at any age, but it is more common in people over 40. And more often in men than in women.
Retinal detachment is also common among people with:
- High myopia;
- Diabetes mellitus;
- Genetic predisposition to retinal detachment;
- Having undergone cataract surgery;
- Trauma to the eye or head;
- Various inflammatory diseases, etc.
What are the symptoms of retinal detachment?
In the initial stages, retinal detachment often occurs quietly and unnoticed. There is no pain. There are no symptoms. There is nothing to worry about. But as the retinal detachment increases, the first signs of the dangerous condition appear:
- Lightning, flashes of light, “flickering” of flies before eyes.
- Loss of lateral vision. Blurring in front of the eyes.
- Then the visual field begins to diminish. A part or even all of the picture that a person should see in front of him or her disappears. It looks as if it is draped with a dark curtain, which cannot be removed.
These warning signs are the SOS signal that medical attention is urgently needed. If you have similar symptoms, you should immediately consult an ophthalmologist or an emergency ward. Let the doctor examine everything carefully and better reassure you that you waste time and lose your vision.
IMPORTANT!
Retinal detachment requires immediate medical examination because its development is unpredictable. Sometimes, retinal detachment can happen quickly in several hours or even minutes. In other cases, it is a long process that takes years.
Types and varieties of retinal detachment
Only an ophthalmologist can diagnose retinal detachment (retinal tear) and refer the patient to a specialized retinologist. Before the examination, it is essential to undergo a thorough check-up on specialized modern ophthalmic equipment. This will allow the doctor to evaluate the retina as accurately as possible and prescribe the correct treatment strategy to preserve your eyesight.
The treatment method depends on the degree of retinal detachment and its localization. The worst case is when this process affects the central part (the macula) when it is more difficult to forecast whether the vision can be preserved.
Retinal detachment falls into the following types:
Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is a tear or hole in the retina. Through this hole, intraocular fluid escapes to the outside and is localized between the retina and the choroid.
Secondary retinal detachment is also known as exudative or serous retinal detachment. This condition looks like inflammation with no holes or tears. Vascular abnormalities or trauma cause fluid accumulation under the retina and neoplasm.
Tractional retinal detachment occurs due to trauma or inflammation; thus, the vitreous body begins to pull the retina and detach it from the choroid.
Methods of treating retinal detachment
Depending on the extent of the retinal detachment (retinal tear) and its localization, an ophthalmologist may recommend laser or surgical treatment. The treatment is aimed at making the retina adhere to the choroid and preserving your vision.
At Eximer Ophthalmology Clinics, these surgeries are performed painlessly, using the latest technology, without hospitalization, and under the supervision of experienced anesthesiologists.
Laser photocoagulation of the retina. This technique is used in cases where a small area of the retina has detached at the periphery. The laser beam is directed through a contact lens to the affected area and cauterizes the retinal detachment site, thus fusing the tissue to the vasculature. This stops the retinal detachment process.
Vitrectomy is a surgical treatment of the retina when all or part of the vitreous body is removed and gas or silicone oil is injected in its place. Thus, it is possible to place the retina on top of the choroid and fix it in that position. Gradually the eye is healed and its physiology is restored.
At Eximer Ophthalmology Clinic, vitrectomy surgery is the safest way to perform the surgery through micro punctures to minimize eye injury and thereby speed up the recovery process.
Retinal detachment treatment is more successful if you address the specialists in time. After treatment, it is crucial to undergo regular check-ups with an ophthalmologist. It is definitely better to do it in the same clinic so that the doctor can assess the retina and the optic nerve in dynamics.
Ways to avoid retinal detachment
Any disaster is preceded by a series of events. If you react to the warning signs in time, the worst can be avoided, or at least the effect can be reduced.
This is why it is critical to have regular check-ups by an experienced ophthalmologist at a clinic that you trust and that can offer the latest and most effective technology.
Today, the most advanced method of retinal detachment prophylaxis offered by Eximer Ophthalmology Clinic is peripheral prophylactic laser coagulation of the retina. This technique is aimed at strengthening the retina in places of thinning, tears, and cracks. The laser is applied point by point to the retina, fusing it with the choroid. This procedure is quick and painless. And it allows you to preserve your vision and prevent possible retinal disorders.
Contact Eximer Ophthalmology Clinic. We have experts in retinal treatment and physicians with years of experience. We can offer our patients the latest vision treatment technologies. The key is not to delay seeking medical attention. The retina needs to be treated!
