Retinal detachment

Retinal detachment is a serious eye disease that occurs when the retina moves from its usual location. That is, ceases to be in close contact with the uvea and sclera. When that occurs, the retina, which is the photographic film of the eye, does not work and therefore the image that the eye creates and sends to the brain stops being created, that is to say that the patient stops seeing well.

What are the symptoms of the principle of retinal detachment?

A patient has to be alert and go to the ophthalmologist to verify that a retinal detachment is not beginning when symptoms begin. Note that in their field of vision there are usually black spots that move and resemble flying flies. When the patient notices that they have a few flies or spots that move, especially in one of the eyes, then it may be that this process is beginning and it is necessary to go to the ophthalmologist to explore the retina, do a background analysis of the eye and ensure that we are not before a start of a retinal detachment because of a retinal hole.

Is it possible to prevent retinal detachment?

It is possible to prevent it if the patient visits the ophthalmologist when the retina is still located in its place. In that phase in which the patient notices flying flies the retina already has a hole that is initiating the process but has not yet fallen. If the ophthalmologist sees the patient, performs an analysis of the fundus of the eye and diagnoses that break, what he will do is a laser treatment firing around that break and sealing the hole. In this way, when the hole is closed, it is prevented to continue the process and the retina falls.

What are the most effective treatments?

There are several treatments for retinal detachment once the retina has fallen from its location. They are always surgical treatments. That is, they involve getting the patient into the operating room, sleeping the eye and; or introducing ourselves into the eye by means of trocars and performing a surgery called vitrectomy in which we clean the inside of the eye and place gases or buffering liquids that expand the interior of the eye and place the retina in place; or from outside the eye by placing silicone bands that squeeze from outside to achieve the same objective, that the retina and the sclera come back together.

The goal of these surgical treatments is to reposition the retina in place. The problem is that the retina is a neuronal tissue and the fact that it has been relocated and that we put it back in its place does not ensure that its subsequent functioning is as perfect as it was before. That is, a surgical treatment of retinal detachment always has a reserved visual prognosis. It is therefore very important to perform preventive treatments, if possible, before reaching retinal detachment.

What consequences does a retinal detachment have, can you lose vision?

Unfortunately, the visual consequences of a retinal detachment can be serious and therefore it is certain that you can lose vision. The retina is made up of neuronal cells that when relocated, even if put back in place, may not work as they did before. That is why it is very important to go to the ophthalmologist with the premonitory symptoms of detachment and not having to get to perform surgeries that are always prognostic that is always uncertain.