Complications Related to the Retina

It’s important to catch retinal conditions and problems early to prevent vision loss.

The retina is a layer of tissue in the back of the eye that processes light and sends these signals to the brain to be able to recognize what you’re seeing. If the retina is damaged or diseased in any way this can lead to blindness. This is why it’s important not to skip out on that annual eye exam with our Brandon, FL, eye doctors. By catching problems of the retina early we can prevent or slow vision loss.

Some of the most common retina problems include,

Tear in the Retina

A retinal tear can occur as a result of trauma, nearsightedness, or age, and warning signs include sudden floaters in your vision or a peppering of black spots. You may also notice flashes of light. Any changes to your vision must be examined by our Brandon, FL, eye doctors right away to look for damage or problems with the retina.

Treatment: It is important to catch a tear before it has the possibility of detachment. Laser therapy or cryotherapy is often used to repair the tear.

Retinal Detachment

When tears form in the retina, this can also increase your risk for retinal detachment and loss of vision. If a tear isn’t caught soon enough this can lead to a retinal detachment. Signs of a retinal detachment include,

  • Floaters
  • Flashes in vision
  • Blurry vision
  • Reduction in peripheral vision

Again, these are issues that you need to address right away. This is considered an emergency so call our eye doctors here in Brandon, Sun City Center, or Plant City, FL, right away.

Treatment: The treatment option we use will depend on the extent of the detachment. Again, laser surgery may be used to repair the tear and minor detachments; however, surgery is often necessary to reattach the retina. There are three types of surgical procedures used to reattach a retina: pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckle, and vitrectomy.

Diabetic Retinopathy

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important for the health of your eyes that you maintain healthy blood sugar levels through medications and a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, diabetes is prone to diabetic retinopathy, which causes damage to the blood vessels of the retina. If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes and you develop loss of vision, blurry vision, trouble seeing colors, or the sudden presence of floaters, you must seek immediate medical attention.

Treatment: A lot will depend on the extent of your diabetic retinopathy. Those with milder cases will need a comprehensive eye exam with dilation every couple of months to monitor the condition. You will also need to talk with your doctor about medications and other ways to better control your blood sugar. More advanced stages of this eye condition will require surgery.

Macular Degeneration

The most common form of macular degeneration is age-related macular degeneration. This is the deterioration of vision in older patients that gets worse as time goes on. If left untreated, it can cause permanent vision loss. Symptoms of this condition include worsening vision, changes in color perception, and dark or blurry spots in your vision. 

Treatment: There is no cure for macular degeneration, instead there are treatments that will slow down its development. Some common treatments are being prescribed Anti-angiogenesis drugs, which stop the creation of blood vessels in the eyes while also keeping blood vessels from leaking. Other treatments consist of laser therapy, where the lasers destroy unusual blood vessels located in the eyes.

If you are living with chronic health problems such as diabetes, it’s even more important that you take time out of your schedule to visit your eye doctor, as retina problems can sneak up. Brandon Eye Associates provides eye exams and treatment to those living in and around Brandon, Plant City, and Sun City, FL. To schedule an appointment, simply call us at (813) 684-2211.

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