Retina Care
The retina is a thin sheet of nerve tissue in the back of the eye where light rays are focused and transmitted to the brain. The vitreous is a gel-like substance that fills the eye and is connected to the retina, optic nerve, and many blood vessels.
Problems with the retina and vitreous — including retinal tear, retinal detachment, severe intraocular infection (endophthalmitis) and trauma — can lead to vision loss and blindness. Surgery can correct problems before vision is lost or prevent further deterioration from occurring.
Exciting new advances in the surgical and medical treatment of retinal and vitreous diseases have improved the outlook for helping many of these previously untreatable conditions.
What are the most common Retinal Conditions?
Three prevalent retinal conditions in the United States include:
Diabetic Retinopathy:
Your eyes have tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that are located at the back of the eye. These blood vessels nourish your retina.
Diabetes can damage the blood vessels by causing fluid to leak and build-up under and within the retina. This causes the area to swell, deprives it of its blood supply and leads to vision loss.
Macular Degeneration:
Macular degeneration is a breakdown of the center part of the retina. It presents itself as a blind spot or blurriness in the center of the field of vision.
Macular degeneration is common among older adults including here in Chester County. Patients may have either dry or wet macular degeneration. Many people start with the dry form of macular degeneration and some progress into the wet form as the disease advances.
Retinal Detachment or Tear:
Retinal detachments most often start as a small tear in the early stages. As they progress, they develop into a retinal detachment.
In a tear, the thin tissue layer lining the retina develops a hole because the gel-like fluid at the eye’s center shrinks and tugs on the tissue. If fluid goes through the retinal tear, it can lift the retina off the underlying tissue layers and cause the retina to detach.
All of these conditions may lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated.
What are the symptoms of Retinal Diseases?
Several retinal diseases have similar signs. It’s essential to visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist in Thorndale or Berwyn for a proper diagnosis. Symptoms you may experience include:
- Vision loss
- Vision distortion or blurriness
- Shadows closing in from the peripheral vision, like a curtain closing
- A sudden appearance of black specks or “floaters” in the line of sight
- The onset of flashes of light in the peripheral vision that looks like lightning bolts
- Peripheral vision defects
- Blind spots in vision
What retina treatments are available in Thorndale and Berwyn?
How our ophthalmologists in Thorndale or Berwyn treat your retina depends on several factors, including the condition you have and how far it has progressed.
Solutions for diseases like diabetic retinopathy may include monitoring eye health and managing diabetes in the early stages. It may also include laser treatments, eye injections and surgery at more advanced stages.
Early dry macular degeneration is often treated with nutritional therapy and supplements to support the eye’s cell structure. Wet macular degeneration may be treated with certain types of laser treatments or eye injections.
Retinal detachment treatment protocols can involve gas or air injections into the eye, indenting the eye’s surface with a piece of silicone material, or draining and replacing the eye’s fluid. Retinal tear procedures may involve laser surgery or freezing of the tear, creating scar tissue to hold the retina in place. These procedures are usually performed in the operating room; however, retinal detachments can sometimes be treated with a procedure in the office.
No matter your condition, our goal is always to stop or slow the progression and to use our extensive resources and modern equipment to get your vision back, improve your eyesight, or help you maintain your sight.
How do routine eye exams help prevent and treat retinal conditions?
Routine eye exams are the number one way to catch eye diseases early. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, your eyes may still have retinal problems.
Early detection gives treatment a higher success rate and leads to less vision damage. It’s also easier for our ophthalmologists in Berwyn or Thorndale to restore or improve your vision after diagnosis.
The ophthalmologists at Focus Eye Group are skilled surgeons who conduct comprehensive eye health exams. They specialize in identifying eye diseases, performing successful eye surgeries, and prescribing the best medications for your condition.
Our optometrists work side-by-side with our ophthalmologists to take care of your retina. They also check your eye and vision health and are skilled diagnosticians. The optometrists at Focus Eye Group may also provide before-and-after surgery care.
When should you see a retina doctor?
It’s crucial to take care of any vision changes you notice by scheduling an appointment with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Floaters, flashes, or vision loss may be warning signs of serious retinal diseases.
Our doctors will examine your eye and discuss treatment options if needed. We have a retina specialist in each of our offices (both in Thorndale and Berwyn). These specialists regularly treat macular degeneration, as well as retinal tears and detachments and diabetic retinopathy.
Why choose Focus Eye Group to care for your retinas:
Our eye care professionals use only the best, most cutting-edge equipment to take care of your vision. Our skilled eye surgeons are highly experienced and provide state-of-the-art treatments for all kinds of eye diseases.
Our Thorndale and Berwyn eye surgeons operate at Vision One Laser and Surgery Center in Exton, PA. More eye surgeries are performed there than any other local establishment, including the hospitals in Chester County. Besides having welcoming nurses and a streamlined process, we also have family-friendly waiting rooms and several shopping areas nearby.
Focus Eye Group of Chester County is Pennsylvania’s premier providers of advanced retina care. Contact us today at 610-384-9100 for more information on retina care and treatment options at either our Thorndale or Berwyn locations.