Retinal Surgery – Are You At Risk From Blindness?
Detached retinas can be a huge issue however, before one gets to the stage where they are battling a retina that becomes detached, there are several warning signs which shouldn’t be ignored.
So what is the retina and what does it do? In a nutshell, the retina acts as the go between completing the vision cycle by sending messages to the brain, optic nerve or nervous system. It’s role is priceless.
Problems with retinal detachment occur when the retina separates from the eye surface and when this occurs, retinal surgery is necessary. Many people get a little nervous when retinal surgery is mentioned as the main option but it’s really not as bad as it sounds.
The benefits are huge. For example, surgery to correct a detached retina can minimize vision loss and of course, blindness. Isn’t this worth protecting? If you are experiencing problems then don’t delay any longer.
Retinal detachments occur because of damage to the tissue such as holes forming. This can happen over time and affects people with short sightedness and the elderly. As time progresses, the tissue becomes weaker and tears can develop and if not treated, detachment can be the worse case scenario.
Types Of Retinal Detachment
There are different types of retinal detachment. Let’s take a look at three of them:
- Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment… this happens liquid enters the eye area because of a tear or tears.
- Secondary Retinal Detachment…this applies to eye injuries which can lead to fluid forming under the retina even when there is no hole. An eye injury can cause this or inflammation around the eye.
- Tractional Retinal Detachment…in a word, this refers to the retina being physically pulled from the eye surface. Ouch!
Retinal Surgery
Let’s take a look at the types of retinal surgery.
- Scleral buckle surgery involves the sewing of silicone bands to the outer region of the eyeball. The bands then push the wall of the eye against the hole caused by the detached retina and close it, allowing the retina to reattach using natural procedures.
The bands are not usually removed; however, recently it was discovered that there was a possibility that the band might cause the eye to become elongated or misshapen.
- Pneumatic retinopexy is another type of eye surgery for detached retinas. This involves the usage of a gas or silicone bubble that is literally blown into the eye. The bubble floats to the area in which the retina is detached and pressure is applied to the hole.
The pressure or surface tension combined with the material of the gas bubble cause the hole to seal and the retina to reattach itself. This procedure is normally only used when the retina detachment is located in the upper portion of the eyeball.
Speak to your doctor if you suspect problems. There are also several other retinal surgery types which you can discuss with them.
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- Lasik Eye Surgery Risk – The Truth About Lasik
- Retinal Detachment Surgery – The Dangers Of Retinal Detachment To You
- Retinal Eye Surgery Recovery – The Risks Of Retinal Recovery
- Lasik Eye Surgery Side Effects – Why You Could Be At Serious Risk From Lasik
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