retina It is in the back of the eye, which receives the light and images we see and sends them to the brain so that it can interpret them. That is, it allows us to relate to the environment in a visual way. Occasionally, a the tear and its detachment. If this happens, you should seek immediate medical attention, as an early diagnosis prevents a major problem, such as a possible blindness. doctor Marta S. Figueroa, director of the retina department of the Bavaria Clinic and head of the retina unit of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital He explains what this eye problem is, what the consequences are, if it can cause blindness and what treatments are given to reverse this medical emergency.
What is retinal detachment?
The retina is a tissue that covers the back of the eye inside and where the first neuron of the visual pathway is located. This tissue sits on a vascular layer, on which it feeds, called the choroid.
There are 3 types of retinal detachment:
- Rheumatoid arthritis. It is the most common type of retinal detachment (affects 1 / 10,000 inhabitants). Occurs when a hole or rupture is formed in the retina through which fluid passes and separates the retina from the outer layers.
- Tractional. Something attracts the retina and separates it from the outer layers.
- Exudative. Fluid accumulates below the retina in the vascular layer below.
– Vitamins and minerals that protect your eye health
Are the causes known?
Retinal detachment rheumatoid arthritis occurs especially in patients with degenerative lesions of the retina which evolves into holes or tears. An example is myopia patients.
Another common cause is the detachment of glass. The vitreous is a gel that occupies the back of the eyeball and is attached to the retina. With age, the vitreous detaches from the retina and sometimes breaks it. In the myopic this vitreous detachment occurs at an earlier age.
Eye trauma can also cause retinal tears and retinal detachment.
The most common cause of vomiting tractional of the retina is diabetic retinopathy. In the advanced stages of poorly controlled diabetes, abnormal vessels form that grow on the surface of the retina and, if not treated in time, can cause traction on the retina and detach it.
Retinal detachment exudative It has different causes: macular degeneration associated with age, diabetes, tumors, choroidal inflammation, etc.
– Did you know that diabetes affects vision?
What are the symptoms of retinal detachment?
The warning symptoms of retinal detachment are myodesopsia (the observation of black particles that move as you move your eye) and photopsias (flashes of light that can be seen with your eyes open in the dark). In fact, these are the symptoms of vitreous detachment, which is one of the most common predisposing lesions of retinal detachment. Once the retina has been detached, the patient perceives it as a stain or as a curtain covering part of the visual field.
Occasionally, we diagnose asymptomatic retinal detachments as a random discovery on routine examination.
– Diet, a good ally for eye health: write down the six foods
How is it diagnosed?
The diagnosis is made by a complete ophthalmological examination which includes pupil dilation. Student dilation is essential to be able to identify if the patient has tears that require laser treatment and thus prevent a retinal detachment or if there is already a retinal detachment that requires surgery.
Can it cause blindness?
Today it is rare for a retinal detachment to cause blindness if treated early. However, there are cases where more surgery is needed and this obscures the visual prognosis.
It is very important for landslide operation of the retina when the macula has not yet been affected, ie when the central area of the retina has not yet been affected, because the visual results after the operation are better.
– What are work glasses and why are they good if you work in front of the computer?
What is the treatment? Has there been any progress?
The treatment is surgical and there are different types of surgeries that can be performed in order to put the retina back in place and fix it with a laser so that it does not come off again.
The most commonly used technique is vitrectomy in which, through three small incisions, the instruments are inserted into the eye to manipulate the retina, apply it and seal it.
Advances in retinal surgery have been a constant in recent years. Some of the most noteworthy are the progressive reduction of the size of the instruments, the need for no sutures in many cases, intraoperative imaging tests, which allow us a greater accuracy of maneuvers and 3D operation in which both the surgeon and the rest of the team can see the operation in three dimensions.