Among other pathologies of the visual organs, detachment of the retina deserves special attention. The disease is severe, it consists in the gradual passage of the retina from the choroid, then if the ocular membrane is rich in blood vessels. Such a problem can cause a strong decrease in the ability to see up to complete blindness.
General idea of the disease
Normal vision is ensured by the full functioning of all tissues, organ systems. The retina should be extremely tightly located relative to the choroid, since it is from here that the tissues feed - there are no proper blood vessels supplying oxygen, nutrient components to the tissue. Retinal detachment leads to the impossibility of obtaining structures all that is necessary for a full life. Pathology is one of the most problematic in modern ophthalmology. The disease is difficult, requires surgical correction, but this approach is not always applicable, and it is far from possible to predict the results in 100% of cases.
According to medical statistics, the treatment of retinal detachment in the last decade is required with a much greater frequency than before. On average, pathology affects one in ten thousand people. Among other reasons that provoke a complete loss of vision, it is precisely the one under consideration that is one of the most common. Often, it becomes the basis for conferring disability status. As can be seen from analytical studies, only a third of patients have already crossed the border of their retirement age, and other patients are people who are absolutely working before the development of pathology.
What to do?
Retinal detachment can only be treated surgically. No drugs have been developed that would allow conservative methods to reverse the process. Neither pills nor injections will help. You should not rely on traditional medicine methods, non-patented biologically active additives, which, according to manufacturers, are able to defeat any pathology. As soon as the diagnosis is formulated, it is necessary to make an appointment as soon as possible - this is the only way to preserve vision.
Where did the trouble come from?
The causes of retinal detachment can be understood if you delve into the mechanism of pathology. Often the problem is provoked by excessive physical exertion, increased stress and a sharp mechanical effect on the ocular surface. Such causes first initiate the formation of small defects, while the substance filling the vitreous body gets the opportunity to gradually shift under the retina. Over time, this imperceptibly removes normally adjacent tissues. The larger the volumes of material leaked, the larger the delamination area, the harder the case.
In a predominant number of cases, symptoms of retinal detachment are observed in only one eye, although gradually pathology has a negative effect on the visual system as a whole. If a disease is suspected, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible, who carefully examines both eyes.
Possible ways
It is known that treatment of retinal detachment is often required due to trauma, wounds affecting eye tissue. In this case, not only the retina suffers, damage can easily spread to other membranes, organ tissues. Eye pathologies can provoke degenerative changes. These include tumor processes, retinitis, retinopathy, uveitis, macular degradation associated with age-related changes in the body.
Sometimes the causes of symptoms of retinal detachment in dystrophic processes affecting vitreochorioretin on the periphery. This can cause a sharp decrease in visual acuity. In a certain percentage of cases, the condition develops in an absolutely healthy person. To detect the disease, a Goldman examination is required, which includes a lens with three mirrors.
Risk group
It is more likely that detachment of the retina is possible if a person received an eye injury or experienced a similar process on another organ of vision. The likelihood of a pathological process is increased if close relatives are sick, dystrophic disorders in the eye tissues are revealed. The risk group includes people who are constantly forced to lift weights, to work at work associated with physical stress. The presence of any disease affecting the retina also increases the likelihood of delamination.
Attention to the eye condition should be given to diabetics, athletes, especially practicing potentially dangerous varieties of sports activity - boxing, wrestling. The risk group includes all those who have been diagnosed with myopia in a progressive form, as well as astigmatism. Such health conditions are associated with a gradual decrease in thickness, which sooner or later can provoke retinal detachment from the supply tissue.
How to suspect?
The primary symptoms of retinal detachment are floating points in front of the eyes, flies and lightnings, sparks and flashes. Others characterize visible soot flakes, veil, curtains. With such manifestations of visual impairment, many recommend rinsing the eyes with tea, but with exfoliation, this event does not give any benefit, as well as the use of specific medications. This moment is the most suitable to seek qualified medical help. You should pay attention to which side of the disease began to manifest itself earlier, what kind of "curtain" is felt. This will help the doctor to formulate the features of the case more accurately.
Over time, symptoms of retinal detachment include a narrowing of the visual field and the loss of certain areas from the space covered by the eyes. Objects examined by the patient are distorted, dimensions, shape, objective vision are incorrectly perceived over time. If the disease progresses quickly, a veil appears before the eyes. If the situation is accompanied by vascular lesions, spots, black flies appear in front of the eyes, pain syndrome, discomfort are possible. The detachment associated with hemorrhage affecting the vitreous body manifests itself as a cobweb, spots that seem to float in front of a person.
Important point
Often, retinal detachment occurs gradually, the symptoms that bother the person during the day exhaust themselves during the night's rest and in the morning, vision is completely normal. This feature is due to the ability of the fluid that accumulates between the tissues to dissolve during the rest period, while the retina again occupies its natural position. After a few hours after waking up, unpleasant symptoms return.
The most dangerous cases are when retinal detachment covers the lower parts of the visual organ. Symptoms are almost imperceptible, and the patient turns to the doctor when the case is already running.
Discover and win
If you find any of these symptoms, you should make an appointment with an ophthalmologist as soon as possible with the aim of a detailed instrumental diagnosis in a hospital setting. Timely circulation reveals retinal detachment processes at the earliest stages. Surgery may not be necessary if the patient came in time, or the intervention will be minimal. The main advantage of efficiency is the ability to maintain vision.
If a person has suffered a craniocerebral injury, and some time after this the indicated manifestations were recorded, one should not only come for an examination by an ophthalmologist, but also make an appointment with a neurologist to clarify all the circumstances of the condition. Typically, an examination of the ocular region is performed using specialized drops to help dilate the pupil. As can be seen from medical statistics, more often negative processes capture peripheral areas, since by nature the blood supply to this part is weaker than the central one. A correct full examination requires indirect, direct ophthalmoscopy. As part of such an event, all the features of the fundus of the patient are examined.
Diagnostics: what and how?
To identify the specific features of a particular situation, it is necessary to localize degenerative processes and detect gaps, to identify their exact number. To clarify the condition of the patient, the localization points of dystrophic disorders are determined and the kind of connections that the exfoliating regions and the vitreous body have (if any, in principle, are present).
To confirm, clarify the formulated medical opinion, additional studies are carried out. Those suggest the detection of visual acuity. It is known that when exfoliating, vision sits very sharply, suddenly. To a greater extent this is characteristic of the situation when the detachment is localized in the center. The doctor measures the pressure in the visual organs. Normally, the parameter is standard, deviations are characteristic of patients who have received an injury, a stroke. To obtain more accurate information about the patient’s condition, the perimeters of the visual organs are examined, visual fields are detected, ultrasound is prescribed if any of the more common methods are not applicable in a particular case. Sometimes an additional study is performed with a laser tomograph. This measure is necessary if you need to clarify the condition of the nerve responsible for the visual organs.
What to do?
Operation with detachment of the retina is the most effective and reasonable measure. Other effective therapeutic methods currently do not exist. Modern doctors have access to high-precision equipment, so a minimally invasive intervention is performed, and surgery is not at all as scary as it might seem. In many ways, the features of the procedure depend on the area affected by degenerative processes, on the size of the defect and the complexity of working with it.
The most common types of operations:
- sclerosis;
- retinopexy;
- vitrectomy;
- filling;
- balloning.
And if in more detail?
Sclerosis involves the use of an electric current, a laser. During the event, the exact position of the damage is identified and work is being done to seal it. The tissue in this area forms a scar, so the fluid cannot get to the retina. Retinopexy has similar features - in fact, it is also sclerosis, but performed by cryogenic methods or a laser. The vitreous is filled with air, which helps the retina to take an anatomically correct position.
Vitrectomy is such a technique when two holes are created in the sclera to illuminate the field, after which tweezers, a radiator are inserted and the vitreous is removed. In its place, gas is pumped. After some time, these volumes naturally absorb, and the area is filled with biological fluids.
Other options
Sealing is the installation of such a silicone plug fixed to the sclera, which allows the sclera to be pulled inward. This affects the position of the choroid, combining it with the retina.
Finally, ballooning is a surgical method involving mounting a catheter into the sclera with a balloon pumped with air. In this case, the effect is approximately the same as when installing a silicone seal.
Consequences: what does delamination lead to?
The most negative developmental option is blindness. More terrible than this consequence, eye disease has no results. To prevent such a development of events, you should take the help of a qualified doctor as soon as possible. A timely operation helps to prevent the progress of degenerative changes, return to normal the ability to see.
The progress of the pathology may cause the inability to see some areas. In patients, a veil is formed in front of the eyes. In addition to the loss of visual acuity, it becomes impossible to correctly identify the dimensions and shape of objects. If the pathology is accompanied by the formation of the macula, such a decrease in the ability to see is considered especially dangerous.
How to warn?
If a person belongs to a risk group, you should be especially responsible for your vision. Diabetics, as well as people affected by eye injuries, head injuries, should monitor their health status and regularly attend a routine examination with a specialist. Similar examinations are required for those who have established dystrophic processes in the retina, astigmatism, myopia. A constant visit to the clinic will allow you to determine the onset of degenerative processes in time, which means that measures to stop it will be much easier.
A risk group is also a woman bearing a fetus. It is known that childbirth provokes retinal detachment.
To minimize the risk of illness, it is important to eat right and lead a healthy lifestyle. An adequate balance of loads and rest should be observed. Not only visual, but also physical stresses associated with everyday life are taken into account. If possible, heavy loads and overloads should be avoided.
Anatomical features
The retina is called such a tissue that normally covers the apple of the eye on the inner surface. Among all the tissues that form the visual organ, the retina is the thinnest, most delicate. It perceives light impulses, forms nerve impulses on their basis, which then enter the brain centers. Structural changes in this tissue always cause serious diseases, associated with the risk of blindness.