Retinal detachment is a medical disorder that occurs when the retina separates from the back of your eye. It results in loss of vision that can be partial or total, depending on how much of the retina is detached. After the detachment of retina, its cells may be seriously deprived of oxygen. Retinal detachment is a medical emergency which can result in permanent vision loss if retinal detachment is left untreated or if treatment is delayed. For treatment, you must visit well-known eye hospital in Hyderabad.
Signs and Symptoms of Retinal Detachment
There is no pain associated with retinal detachment. But, there are usually symptoms before your retina becomes detached. Primary symptoms include:-
- Blurred vision and Partial vision loss
- Sudden flashes of light that come into view when looking to the side
- Suddenly seeing many floaters that appear as black flecks or strings floating before your eye
Causes and Types of Retinal Detachment
1. Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment
If you have a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, you have a tear or hole in your retina. This allows fluid the retinal pigment epithelium. This is the membrane that provides your retina with nourishment and from within your eye to slip through the opening and get behind your retina. The fluid separates the retina from oxygen. Thus, causing the retina to detach. And, this is the most common type of retinal detachment.
2. Tractional retinal detachment
Tractional retinal detachment occurs when scar tissue on the retina’s surface contract. This causes your retina to pull away from the back of your eye. This is a less common type of detachment. It typically affects people with diabetes mellitus. And, poorly controlled diabetes can lead to issues with the retinal vascular system. This type of vascular damage can later lead to scar tissue accumulation in your leading to retinal detachment.
3. Exudative detachment
There are no tears or breaks in your retina in this case of exudative detachment.
Retinal diseases such as the following cause this type of detachment:-
- Disorder causing fluid accumulation behind your retina
- Cancer behind your retina
- An inflammatory abnormal development in the blood vessels.
Who is at risk for retinal detachment?
Some of the risk factors for retinal detachment include:-
- Posterior vitreous detachment and extreme nearsightedness
- A family history of retinal detachment and trauma
- Ageing and prior history of retinal detachment
- Difficulties from cataract removal surgery
- Diabetes mellitus
- Previous other eye disease or disorder
Retinal Detachment diagnosis
For the diagnosis of retinal detachment, your doctor will perform a thorough eye exam. They will check your vision and your eye pressure. Also, they will check the physical appearance of your eye and your ability to see colors. Your doctor might also test the ability of your retina to send impulses to your brain. Additionally, your doctor may also order an ultrasound of your eye. This is a painless test that uses sound waves to create an image of your eye.
Retinal Detachment treatment
For the treatment of Retinal Detachment, surgery is important to repair a detached retina. While for minor detachments or tears of the retina, a simple medical procedure may be done in your doctor’s office.
1. Photocoagulation
If you have a hole or tear in your retina but your retina is still attached, photocoagulation with a laser is performed. The laser burns around the tear site. And, the resulting scarring affixes your retina to the back of your eye.
2. Cryopexy
In this medical procedure, your doctor will apply a freezing probe outside of your eye in the area over the retinal tear site. And, the resulting scarring will help hold your retina in place.
3. Retinopexy
Pneumatic retinopexy helps to repair minor detachments. Your doctor will put a gas bubble in your eye to help your retina move back into place up against the wall of your eye. Your doctor will use a laser or freezing probe to seal the holes once your retina is back in place.
How to Prevent Retinal Detachment?
In order to prevent retinal detachment, you must get to your best eye doctor right away if you see new floaters or any other changes in your vision. You must get your eyes checked once a year, if you have conditions like diabetes or if you’re very nearsighted.
You must consider wearing eye protection. You may also require special glasses if you work with machines or tools for your job or at home.
Precautions after retinal detachment surgery
We must restrict ourselves from doing heavy physical activities after retinal surgery as well. It is always better to ask your retina specialist and take his/her approval before resuming any activity involving muscle exertion. Your eye surgeon will instruct you to position your head in a certain way after surgery and you must follow and adhere to the prescription of the eye drops.
