Sriji was feeling uncomfortable in dim lighting and experiencing sudden flashes of light in her eyes. At first, she did not care much about the problem and blamed her excessive work pressure for the inconvenience. But when the discomfort started growing, she had no other option but to visit an ophthalmologist for an eye checkup. The doctor diagnosed that a part of her retinal tissues has suffered tearing and is slowly getting detached. She is having an eye condition known as retinal detachment.
What is Retinal Detachment?
It is an emergency eye condition that usually occurs when thin retinal tissue gets detached from layers of blood vessels. Sometimes a retinal tissue gets torn without pulling out and separating from the layer of blood vessels. The outcome remains the same. Lack of blood supply deprives retinal tissues of nourishments; tissues become weak and fail to function correctly. The condition is also known as a detached retina. Lack of immediate treatment can lead to complications and semi or permanent vision loss.
The common symptoms of retinal detachment
You do not feel any pain following detached or torn retinal tissues. Warning symptoms slowly appear as soon the detachment occurs and worsen with time. So, visit a doctor and get your vision checked if you experience any of the following symptoms.
- Seeing tiny drifting pieces, flecks, or threads in the field of your vision
- Experiencing photopsia or flashes of light in eyes
- Blurriness in vision
- Difficulty in peripheral or side vision
- A shadowy curtain over the field of vision
Who are at risk of retina detachment?
Anyone can suffer from this eye condition. However, the likelihood of retinal detachment increases with the following factors.
- Aging (people over 50 years of age are more susceptible)
- Part experience of retinal detachment in any one eye
- Family history of the condition
- Extreme myopia or nearsightedness
- Eye surgeries like cataract removal
- Past injury in eyes
- Diseases like thinning of the peripheral retina, retinoschisis, or uveitis
What is retinal detachment laser treatment?
Once diagnosed, surgical procedures are the most reliable and faster way to treat detached or torn retina or retinal hole. Modern retinal surgeries use laser technologies. Unless the retinal detachment is in an advanced stage, eye surgeons advise outpatient procedures like photocoagulation or cryopexy. Laser treatment like photocoagulation is, especially, the most common for treating torn retinal tissues.
Steps of laser photocoagulation
- Numb the affected eye using anesthetic eye drops.
- Identify the torn tissue.
- Focus the laser beam on torn tissue through the pupil.
- The laser burns the area around the torn or detached tissue and creates a scar.
- The scar seals the torn retina or plugs the hole, if any, in the retina. It also helps to stop bleeding from blood vessels around the torn tissue.
Modern laser surgery technologies are highly advanced and precision-controlled. Each laser pulse lasts for only a fraction of seconds, making the whole procedure faster, easier, and cleaner.
On the other hand, Cryopexy uses extreme freezing technology, instead of laser-induced burning, to seal a retinal tearing or detachment. However, laser technology is readily available and trusted by millions of doctors worldwide for its success rate.
What can you expect after retinal detachment laser treatment?
Retinal laser treatments are mostly outpatient procedures. So, patients can get back home after the procedure. However, a few things should be kept in mind.
- Patients might feel mild discomfort just after the procedure once the senses get back to their eyes. It goes away within a or two.
- Doctors prescribe eye drops to avoid chances of inflammation post-procedure.
- It is advisable to avoid works strenuous to eyes for a day or two.
- Patients can get back to everyday life just from the day after.
Advantages of retinal detachment laser treatment
- It does not require a mechanical incision, hence no chance of postoperative infections.
- Laser beams are completely computer-controlled without the risk of human error.
- Easier to operate even a microscopic tearing as a laser beam can reach microscopic precision.
- Surgeons get a clear field of view as mechanical surgical tools do not block the visual pathway during the procedure.
- Laser procedures are faster, allow minimum postoperative pain, and quicker recovery.
- Modern laser technologies and machinery offer the highest rate of procedural success.
Finally,
Congratulation! You have reached the end of this article on a critical eye condition – retinal detachment, tearing, and retinal hole. We hope you take good care of your visual organ. Any eye condition, even a fleeting one, demands your immediate attention and a medical checkup. Do not sit on it. Early detection and diagnosis can save your eyes from unnecessary criticalities.
The Guwahati-based tertiary eye-care hospital, The Retina Centre, is always available for any of your eye-related queries. Just pick up the phone and reach us. We are open round-the-clock at your service.