What is retinal detachment?
The thin nerve layer that covers the inner surface of the eye like a sheet and creates vision signals is called the retina. Retinal detachment is a disease that occurs when the retina separates from the tissue to which it is attached. Detachment of the retina usually occurs due to a tear in the retina and fluid leaking under the retina from this tear. In retinal detachment, the nutrition of the retina is impaired and if not treated quickly, vision loss becomes permanent. So it can cause blindness. Therefore, retinal detachment is a disease that requires urgent treatment.
What are the causes of retinal detachment?
There are 3 types of retinal detachment depending on how it occurs.
Rent retinal detachment: This is the most common type. The jelly-like fluid that fills the cavity of the eye liquefies and shrinks due to age or trauma. During this shrinkage, a hole or tear may occur in the retina. If this tear is not noticed and treated and fluid enters through the hole, the retina may detach. We call this situation a teary retinal detachment.
Tractional (traction-related) retinal detachment: In diabetes, trauma or some eye diseases, membranes that tense inside the eye occur. These membranes can pull and separate the retina.
Serous retinal detachment: Excessive fluid from the vessels under the retina, often due to reasons such as eye inflammation or trauma. transition occurs. This causes fluid accumulation under the retina and detachment of the retina. There are no tears or holes in this type of detachment.
What are the symptoms of retinal detachment?
There is no pain in retinal detachment. Appearing black spots like incipient flies, shadows in the form of spider webs or images such as a gauze curtain may be signs of a retinal tear. Especially when these complaints are accompanied by flashes of light, it is a symptom that increases the possibility of tearing. When the retina separates and detaches, there is a narrowing of the visual field, as if a curtain is closing from one side. As the disease progresses further, vision may be lost completely. If these complaints develop, consult an ophthalmologist immediately. An application must be made.
How to diagnose retinal tear and detachment:
The patient's pupils are dilated with the help of drops and a retinal examination is performed with the help of a device called biomicroscope. This is how the hole, tear and detachment area in the retina is determined. Sometimes there may be bleeding inside the eye, making direct examination difficult. In such cases, an eye ultrasound may be required.
What are the risk factors for retinal detachment?
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Age
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Previous eye surgery (such as cataract surgery)
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Trauma
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High myopia
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Development of retinal detachment in one eye before
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Presence of thinning areas in the retina
How are retinal tears and detachments treated?
Retinal Laser:
Laser tear treatment is a very easy procedure that can be performed in an outpatient clinic setting. If tears are detected before detachment develops, laser treatment is applied around the tears and the development of detachment is prevented. That's why early diagnosis is very important. If fluid has passed under the retina, it means that the laser treatment phase has passed and surgery has become mandatory.
Surgical Treatment:
Detachment has developed. Now the only option is surgical treatment. Various methods can be applied in surgical treatment depending on the clinical picture. These are gas injection into the eye and laser, collapse surgery and vitrectomy surgeries. The aim of all of them is to remove the fluid that causes the detachment, soothe the retina and close the tears.
Gas is given into the eye to prevent further fluid from entering the tear, and laser or cryo treatment is performed around the tear by soothing the retina. It can be applied in certain cases that are caught early.
In the collapse treatment, the tear is closed by collapsing the eye from the outside with a silicone band without entering the eye, and laser or cryotherapy is applied to ensure the adhesion of the tears.
Vitrectomy surgery, Vitrectomy surgery Small holes are opened to enter the eye. The eye jelly is cleaned, the fluid under the retina is drained, and a laser is applied around the tears. In this surgery, all shrinkage can be removed, and tears or small holes that may be overlooked in other methods can also be detected and treated. At the end of the surgery, gas or silicone is injected into the eye. The purpose of this is to prevent the tears from reopening until they are permanently adhered.
What should be expected after retinal detachment surgery?
Retinal detachment is a disease that causes blindness when left untreated. Improvement in vision may sometimes last for months or even 1-2 years. The most important factor affecting surgical success and improvement in vision is the time between the onset of the disease and the surgery. That's why early diagnosis and treatment is very important in this disease.
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