A retinal detachment is an eye disorder in which the retina separates from the underlying tissue within the eye and is moved from its original position.
Image Source: retinaeyedoctor.com
Causes
- Any kind of traumatic injury to the eyes causes retinal detachment. It can happen immediately or it can take months or years to happen.
- As one gets older the possibility of posterior vitreous detachment is more which causes retinal detachment.
- Stickler syndrome is a genetic disorder which affects the connective tissue. It is also one of the causes.
- Eye disorders like glaucoma, scleritis, retinoschisis, uveitis, degenerative myopia, lattice degeneration etc. are some of the causes.
- Any kind of tumor, benign or cancerous in the eye can cause retinal detachment.
- In diabetic retinopathy abnormal growth of blood vessels can cause scarring, bleeding and retinal detachment.
- Previous eye surgery like cataract operation can cause vitreous humour present in the eye to get disturbed, which leads to retinal detachment.
- Congenital malformations or premature born persons can have the eye defect.
- Short-sighted persons have thinner retina which can tear and break more easily.
- If there is a family history of retinal detachment.
Symptoms
- Sudden decrease in vision, loss of central vision.
- Bright flashes of light, especially in peripheral part of vision.
- Floaters that appears as dark spots or specks across vision field.
- Vision becomes blurry.
- Shadow or blindness in a part of the visual field of one eye or both the eyes.
- Straight lines suddenly appear to be curved.
Treatment
- Cryopexy is a procedure in which intense cold is applied to the area with an ice probe which makes hold the retina to the underlying layer.
- Pneumatic retinopexy, in which gas bubbles like (sulfur hexafluoride or octafluoropropane) are introduced into the eye after which laser treatment or cryopexy is done.
- Silicone oil may be used to for retinal attachment.
- Laser surgery is used to seal the tears or holes in the retina.
- Vitrectomy is done to remove gel or scar tissue that pulls the retina. It is done to release tension on the retina, allowing it to move back into proper position.
- In case of severe damage, scleral buckle method can be used, in which a tiny synthetic band made of silicone, plastic or sponge is attached to the outside of the eyeball to slowly push the wall of the eye against the detached retina, so that it indents inward to meet the hole in the retina.
- Diathermy can be done in which an electric current is used to heat tissue and block retina holes.
- Removal of fluid that that had passed between retina and wall of the eye, allows the retina to flatten back to its normal position.
Early diagnosis of retinal detachment and repairing it by surgery is very necessary because if the entire retina detaches from the underlying tissue within the eye, then it can lead to blindness.
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