Important facts about retinal detachment or tear
Retinal detachment is a serious condition which is caused when your retina, the layer of tissue at the back of your eye that processes light pulls away from the tissue around it. If your retina gets torn, the fluid inside your eye can leak underneath and separate the retina from its underlying tissue. Since the retina can’t work properly when this happens, it could result in permanent vision loss.
People who have had a cataract surgery, are severely near-sighted or have a family history of retinal detachment are at risk of having this serious condition.
You might be thinking that a detached retina hurts, but that is not that fact. A detached retina doesn’t hurt and can happen without any warning.
Some symptoms you might notice are:
- Seeing small flecks and threads in front of the eye.
- Flashes of light in front of the eye.
- Darkening of your side vision (peripheral vision).
Treating retinal detachment
- Surgery :
Surgery for retinal detachment may be done under a general anaesthetic or a local anaesthetic, where drops and an injection are used to numb your eye and the surrounding tissue.You will be asked not to eat or drink anything for six hours before the operation.Before you are given the anaesthetic, you will be given eyedrops that widen your pupil.
2.Scleral buckle:
In scleral buckling fine bands of silicone rubber or sponge are stitched onto the outside white of the eye (the sclera) in the area where the retina has detached. The bands act like a buckle and press the sclera in towards the middle of the eye, so the torn retina can lie against the wall of the eye.
3.Pneumatic retinopexy :
This works well for a tear that’s small and easy to close. The doctor injects a tiny gas bubble into the vitreous, a clear, gel-like substance between your lens and retina. It rises and presses against the retina, closing the tear. She can use a laser or cryopexy to seal the tear.
Recommended read:
- This is what cataract can do to your eyes
- Macular degeneration can blur your vision
- Glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss
- What is Lasik surgery?
This post was originally published in CareGuru.
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