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Retina

Retina

Retina Care at Northwest Eye Surgeons

Your retina plays a crucial role in vision, and understanding how it works can help you protect your sight. At Northwest Eye Surgeons, we specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of retinal conditions to help preserve your vision and maintain your quality of life.

What is the Retina?

The retina is a thin layer of tissue that lines the inside wall at the back of the eye. It acts like the film of a camera, capturing light signals and converting them into electrical impulses that are transmitted through the optic nerve to the brain, where they are processed into the images you see.

When functioning properly, the center of the retina, called the macula, provides your sharp, detailed central vision, allowing you to read, recognize faces, and see fine details. The area surrounding the macula is the peripheral retina, which enables your side vision and helps you navigate your environment safely.

Damage to the retina can result from various conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, eye injuries, or natural aging processes. An intricate network of blood vessels nourishes the retina, and when these vessels leak, become blocked, or are damaged, vision can become significantly impaired or lost entirely.

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What is the Vitreous?

The vitreous is a clear, gel-like substance that fills the interior of the eye and maintains its shape. This gel is closely attached to the retina and plays a crucial role in eye health.

When vitreous conditions develop, such as bleeding (hemorrhage) or age-related changes (degeneration), they can significantly interfere with vision or lead to serious retinal complications, including retinal tears or complete retinal detachment.

Warning Signs of Retinal Problems

Contact your eye doctor right away if you notice any of these changes:

Catching retinal problems early makes a big difference in protecting your sight. It is important to compare your eyes, since your dominant or better eye may mask vision reduction in your other eye. Many issues can be treated successfully when found quickly, but waiting too long may lead to permanent vision problems.

Conditions That Can Impact the Retina

Several conditions can affect the retina and potentially threaten your vision, including:

This condition occurs when fluid builds up in the macula, causing swelling and blurred central vision. It can develop after eye surgery, from inflammation, or as a complication of other retinal diseases.

Diabetic retinopathy is a serious, and often painless, complication of diabetes that develops when high blood sugar levels damage the supportive blood vessels in the retina. Without proper management, it can progress from mild vision changes to severe vision loss.

These related conditions affect the macula in different ways. ERM involves scar tissue and contraction forming on the macula’s surface. Vitreomacular adhesion occurs when the vitreous gel pulls on the macula. And macular holes develop when a small tear forms in the center of the macula. All of these conditions can cause distorted or reduced central vision.

Floaters appear as dark spots, strings, or cobwebs drifting through your vision, while flashes look like brief streaks or bursts of light, often in the peripheral or side vision. While they’re often harmless age-related changes, they can sometimes indicate more serious retinal problems.

Age-related macular degeneration affects the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. This progressive condition causes gradual loss of central vision and is one of the leading causes of vision loss in people over 50. Generally, there are 2 types, dry and “wet”. Dry is a slow, progressive degeneration of portions of the retina, but wet entails rapid retinal bleeding usually from a break or defect in the protective pigmented layer deep in the retina.

This condition happens when the artery supplying blood to the retina becomes blocked, often called an “eye stroke.” It is often caused by a circulating blood clot that gains entrance to the eye. It typically causes sudden, painless vision loss and requires immediate medical attention.

A retinal tear occurs when the retina develops a rip or hole, while retinal detachment happens when the retina separates from the back wall of the eye. Both are serious medical emergencies that can lead to permanent vision loss without prompt treatment.

This condition develops when the veins that drain blood from the retina become blocked or narrowed. The blockage can cause blood to “back up” in the eye which leads to bleeding, swelling or edema, and various vision problems depending on the location and severity of the blockage.

Retinitis pigmentosa refers to a group of uncommon inherited eye disorders that cause the gradual breakdown of light-sensitive cells in the retina. It typically begins with difficulty seeing at night and loss of peripheral or side vision, then may progress to slowly affect central vision.

Uveitis is inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye that includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. When it affects the back of the eye, it can involve the retina and cause pain, redness, light sensitivity, and vision problems.

How Retinal Conditions Are Treated

Many retinal conditions can be diagnosed and effectively treated when caught early. At Northwest Eye Surgeons, we offer comprehensive treatment options tailored to your specific condition and needs.

Treatment approaches may include advanced laser therapy, specialized injections, minimally invasive surgical procedures, and ongoing monitoring to preserve and protect your vision. Our experienced retinal specialists use the latest technology and techniques to provide you with the best possible outcomes.

Protect Your Sight Today

Your vision is precious, and early intervention is key to preserving it. If you’re experiencing any warning signs of retinal problems or have concerns about your eye health, don’t wait to seek professional care.

We work in conjunction with your primary care eye doctor to provide precise diagnosis and treatment of retinal conditions. Your eyesight is important and early diagnosis of retinal diseases is a quicker path to recovery.

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