Retina Diseases & Surgery
The retina is a very thin layer of tissue that lines the inner part of the back of the eye and functions like the film of a camera. The retina captures light that has traveled trough the lens of the eye, then transmits that image to the brain so that it can be processed into a visual image.
The retina doctors at Premier Medical have had special training in treating retinal conditions and diseases. They take great care in diagnosing and treating problems and diseases of the retina including:
- Macular Degeneration – A disease of the macula – a small area in the retina at the back of the eye
- Diabetic Retinopathy – If you have diabetes mellitus, your body does not use and store sugar properly. High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels in the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye that senses light and helps to send images to the brain. The damage to retinal vessels is referred to as diabetic retinopathy.
- Retinal Tear/Detachment – A retinal detachment occurs when the retina is pulled away from its normal position. The retina does not work when it is detached. Vision is blurred, just as a photographic image would be blurry if the film were loose inside the camera.
- Macular Hole – A macular hole is a small break in the macula, located in the center of the eye’s light-sensitive tissue called the retina. The macular provides the sharp, central vision we need for reading, driving, and seeing fine detail
- Macular Pucker – A macular pucker is scar tissue that forms on the eye’s macula, located in the center of the eye’s light-sensitive tissue called the retina. The macula provides sharp, central vision. A macular pucker can cause blurred and distorted central vision.
- Vitrectomy Surgery -Vitrectomy is surgery to remove some or all of the vitreous humor from the eye. Anterior vitrectomy entails removing small portions of the vitreous from the front structures of the eye—often because these are tangled in an intraocular lens or other structures. Pars plana vitrectomy is a general term for a group of operations accomplished in the deeper part of the eye, all of which involve removing some or all of the vitreous—the eye’s clear internal jelly.
- Intravitreal Injections -Intravitreal drug delivery has become a popular method of treatment of many retinal diseases, commonly including AMD, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Retinal Vein Occlusions. The frequency of intravitreal injections has significantly increased since the introduction of Anti-VEGF medications. This is an important procedure that Retina Specialists use on a daily basis, and it is important to master the techniques of effective injections for patient safety and reduction of complications.
- Low Vision Rehabilitation – Low vision is a loss of eyesight that makes everyday tasks difficult. Reading, writing, shopping, seeing the television, driving a car may be hard or impossible to accomplish. When vision cannot be improved by regular glasses, medicine or surgery, people with low vision need help to learn how to make the most of their remaining sight and keep their independence
Information provided by the National Eye Institute
