Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition that can affect many people, but is more likely to occur in some individuals than others. Although this condition is a medical emergency, the detachment of the retina can be treated effectively by a number of methods, which can prevent further loss of vision.
Many people are unfamiliar with the condition, although it can be considered valuable to learn about it as acting quickly can mean a far better outcome for those who are experiencing unexplained vision problems. Here are five facts that you should know about retinal detachment and the treatments that are available to you.
The first thing to know about this eye condition is that the consequences are serious. The essential part of the eye that is the retina starts to detach from the back of the organ, which can result in a serious loss of vision. For this reason, acting as soon as possible is absolutely recommended when you start experiencing symptoms of the condition.
The second fact to know about this vision problem is that there are several different types of it that exist. These include tractional, exudative and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The first one mentioned is generally the least serious of the three and occurs where scar tissue on the retina shrinks in size, inducing the detachment.
Rhegmatogenous detachment is the fastest acting of three, and results from liquid accumulating between the retina and the back of the eye. Exudative detachment is similar in the sense that it is caused by liquid accumulating under the retina, although there will be no tears in the retina, unlike with rhegmatogenous detachment.
The third thing to know about this condition is that there are several types of individuals who have higher risk factors than others for developing it. Generally, people over the age of forty are far more likely to develop the condition, as are those who have a history of the illness in their family or have suffered from it previously.
Those who have previously suffered from eye injuries are also more at risk, as are those people who are very near-sighted. If you fall into any of these categories, it is well worth discussing your concerns with your eye doctor in order to understand what measures you can take to monitor your sight better so you can take immediate steps should the condition develop.
The fourth thing to know about the condition is that there are several different types of retinal detachment surgery which can be employed to halt the process and stop vision from deteriorating any further. These types of retinal detachment surgery are known as scleral buckle, pneumaticretinopexy and vitrectomy.
Both scleral buckle and vitrectomy procedures take place under local anaesthetic, with both of the procedures having high success rates of over 90% without the need for additional procedures. Both are outpatient procedures, with the surgery that is selected by the eye specialist depending on the type of retinal detachment that is experienced.
Pneumatic retinopexy is different in the fact that it can be performed in the eye specialist’s office, where a bubble of air is inserted into the eye to push the retina back to the eye wall. Generally, success rates are 75% and upwards, although the adherence of patients to strict recovery procedures plays a huge role in the recovery rates.
Lastly, the final thing to know abut retinal detachment is that there are only a few symptoms to be aware of – and pain is not one of them. Flashes of light, an increase in the number of floaters on the eye and a curtain over the field of vision are the three signs that you need to be aware of to catch this condition early enough for successful retinal detachment surgery.