Guide retinal detachment
Written by:The retina is the innermost layer of the eye wall, covering the vitreous cavity inside, and is responsible for capturing the luminous stimuli that come to it.. The detachment of the retina is the separation of this from the outermost layers of the eye and its fall into the vitreous cavity, with the consequent loss of its function.
Although there are other causes, the most common is rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: The origin is a break in the retina, usually caused by an acute detachment of the vitreous, which pulls it and breaks it, allowing the liquefied vitreous to pass through of this and the detach. This can happen spontaneously or due to trauma, surgery, etc.. Myoppes have a weaker retina and therefore more prone to breakage.
Symptoms of retinal detachment
The main symptom is the loss of vision of the area corresponding to the detached retina. It is usually seen as a " black curtain " that grows, as the detachment progresses, until reaching the complete loss of vision. This can occur in minutes or take several weeks, usually in a matter of a few days.
The loss of vision can be preceded by the symptoms of posterior vitreous detachment, sudden appearance of " flying flies " and flashing lights.
Treatment of retinal detachment
The most common technique today is vitrectomy, through which the interior of the eye is accessed through three small incisions to remove the vitreous, reapply the retina and seal the tears with laser. The interior of the eye will be left with a buffer substance that prevents the retina from detaching again while it heals. The most common is expandable gas, although in some cases it is necessary to leave silicone oil.
The patient must have absolute rest during the first days, and will not be able to make efforts or work life in 2 or 3 months, depending on the type of detachment. In addition, during the first days you may be instructed to take a certain position, face down, sitting, etc., to improve the effect of the buffering gas.
In general it is a long and sometimes difficult process for the patient, compared to other eye surgeries, but thanks to the techniques available today, in most cases we achieve a satisfactory result.
