Retinal Detachment

Retinal tears and retinal detachments are serious eye conditions that can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated quickly. Both of these issues concern the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye responsible for capturing images and sending them to the brain via the optic nerve.

What are Retinal Tears or Retinal Detachment?

The retina is the membrane at the back of the eye. It is where the image that falls through the pupil is sent through the optic nerve to the visual areas of the brain, where it can be properly seen.

The space between the retina and the lens is filled by a gel called the vitreous humor. As time goes on, this gel starts to shrink, and as it does, fibers tug on the surface of the retina, causing the vitreous to pull away from it. Eventually, these fibers snap, and the vitreous separates in a process called posterior vitreous detachment. This usually doesn’t result in blindness, but in uncommon instances, the retina itself tears. When this happens, the fluid can infiltrate the tear and detach the retina completely. This can lead to permanent blindness.

Symptoms of Retinal Tears or Detachment

The unfortunate thing about retinal tears and retinal detachments is that they’re painless. Signs that one might be developing are swarms of floaters and flashes in the field of vision, a sensation like a curtain being pulled down over the field of vision, and a sudden and noticeable deterioration in the person’s central vision. A person who is experiencing these signs should call Campus Eye Group as soon as possible. Treating these symptoms quickly can correct retinal tears/retinal detachments and prevent blindness.

Diagnosing Retinal Tears and Detachment

Though it is important that a retinal tear or retinal detachment be found early, finding it is challenging and requires a careful examination. To this end, the eye doctor dilates the patient’s pupil and examines the back of the eye with a lens and a scleral depressor. This helps the doctor find the damage to the retina and evaluate its exact location and size.

Retinal Tear and Detachment Treatments

There are various treatment options to address retinal tears and detachments, including the following:

Photocoagulation

If a tear is located, it can be treated with a procedure called laser photocoagulation. This treatment reattaches the retina to the back of the eyeball and lowers the risk of detachment and its attendant blindness. During laser photocoagulation, an ophthalmologist numbs the eye and then uses a precise laser to burn the place around the tear. This creates scar tissue, helps seal the tear, and prevents fluid from the vitreous humor from seeping beneath the retina. Laser photocoagulation can even be used to repair a retinal detachment.

After the treatment, the doctor gives the patient a topical steroid to keep down swelling. The patient will need to rest in bed for a few days, probably sleep with their head elevated for a time, and avoid strenuous exercise while their eye heals.

Cryotherapy

Retinal tears/retinal detachments can also be treated through cryotherapy. In this treatment, cold, not lasers, is used to create the scar tissue. Again, the eye is anesthetized, and the ophthalmologist puts a freezing probe over the area to be treated. This may need to be done several times. Again, the ophthalmologist gives the patient a topical steroid after the treatment, and the patient will need to rest for a few days.

Surgery

If the tear isn’t treated, the patient is at risk for a detachment and may need more invasive surgery. These interventions include vitrectomy, which removes the vitreous humor and replaces it with a synthetic gel. Another treatment is the scleral buckle, which secures the retina against the back of the eye by causing the white of the eye, or sclera, to buckle. Pneumatic retinopexy is another eye surgery where gas is introduced into the eyeball in order to push the detached or torn retina against the posterior wall of the eye.

Schedule Your Appointment

If you have any questions regarding retinal tears or retinal detachment, feel free to contact us for a consultation. Campus Eye Group in Hamilton, NJ, strives to help our patients feel comfortable and knowledgeable about eye care.

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