Retinal detachment may result in blindness

Retinal detachment is treated in the same way in ophthalmology as in cardiology myocardial infarction. It can cause blindness and often develops asymptomatically. The risk group includes people over 50, people with diabetes, high myopia, atopic dermatitis, as well as those who were born prematurely. Find out about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for retinal detachment.

Retinal detachmentis a dangerous condition that can cause permanent and permanent loss of vision. Time plays an extremely important role here - at the first symptoms of the disease, you can restore complete or very good visual acuity. That is why we must not ignore the signals that one of the layers of the retina has suffered from vascular damage and a stroke, although, unfortunately, such signals do not always appear.

Retinal detachment - symptoms

Let's not delay even an hour and go to the ophthalmic emergency room when we are disturbed by flying flies, black rain, dots or faint spots in front of our eyes. This is a sign that there is a tear, a hole in the retina, and a possibly ruptured blood vessel. The patient sees the blood pouring out of it in the form of black rain. The fluid that fills the inside of the eye also seeps through it. The greater the damage, the faster the fluid seeps under the retina and it begins to delaminate more and more.

The first symptom of a detachment beginning is sometimes flashes that appear both during the day and at night. Or the patient suddenly stops seeing with one side of the eye - as if he has a veil on it (its size depends on how much of the retina has come off). If the retina has detached on the side of the temple, we do not see the part of the eye closer to the root of the nose.

Visual impairment is related to the way the retina is nourished. One third of the nutrients are provided by the blood vessels on its surface. Two-thirds of food comes from the vessels inside the eyeball. When the retina detaches from the inner surface of the globe, it loses contact with the blood vessels that nourish it and dies. This is a process that cannot be reversed.

Important

The retina allows you to see

The retina is the most important part of the eye thanks to which we can recognize shapes andimages, that is, to just see. It is a tissue with a thickness of 0.25-0.4 mm, made up of ten layers through which a light beam must pass. When it reaches the last layer of photoreceptors, which convert light energy into electrical energy, which is transmitted through the bipolar and ganglion cells to the brain - an image is created. There are as many as four types of nerve cells in the retina. Thanks to this, impulses reach the brain through the optic nerve, creating an image that we are able to correctly recognize. This is how the process of seeing begins.

Important

Role of volleyball

In order for us to see something, a million nerve fibers must collect all information from the entire surface of the retina and send it through the optic nerve (the biological cable made of a million nerve fibers) to the brain. At the center of the retina, which is responsible for seeing details, is the macula, made up of six layers. Since it is thinner than the retina, light rays pass through it faster. It is made of special photoreceptors called suppositories. They guarantee the distinction of the smallest, most colorful and most precise fragments that make up the image we observe. The precision of vision is due to the fact that each cone, or photoreceptor, ends with a separate nerve that instantly transmits information to the brain. In other parts of the retina that are not directly involved in the process of vision, one nerve receives signals from dozens of photoreceptors.

Retinal detachment - who is at risk?

Doctors have been wondering for years why some people experience tearing and subsequent detachment of the retina. Aside from birth defects, the main culprit is age. Over the years, the structure of the retina and the vitreous body changes, which detach from it around the age of 50. If the fibers connecting them are not flexible enough, the retina can be pulled and detached. Therefore, anyone over the age of 50 should see an ophthalmologist and ask for a retinal examination to avoid more serious problems. A simple ophthalmologic examination will determine if there are immunocompromised sites in the retina that could cause tearing and subsequent detachment. Retinal damage is also caused by diseases that impede circulation. These include, for example, diabetes. People suffering from atopic dermatitis are also at risk. It is known from medical observations that people who were born prematurely also have this tendency. And one more risk factor: Retinal detachment is more common in myopiaabove minus four diopters.

Retinal detachment - prevention

The tear itself, without detachment, can be effectively and painlessly treated in the outpatient clinic, using a laser or cryotherapy. A laser beam or a stream of very cold nitrogen causes small scars to form around the tear, preventing the progression of the disease, i.e. preventing detachment. The scars hold the retina firmly and protect the eye for life. The eyes are constantly changing due to the forces exerted by the muscles of the eyeball.

Important

Eat foods rich in vitamins A, C and E included in the so-called antioxidants. Vitamin A prevents the degeneration of eye tissues. You will find ingredients valuable for the eyes in blueberries, blueberries and spinach, which contains lutein. When it runs out, the retinal capillaries will be damaged. Broccoli, kale and beetroot have similar properties. Corn delays the degenerative processes of the eyes. The DHA acid contained in marine fish slows down the rate of age-related retinal degeneration.

Retinal detachment - surgical treatment

Detachment is removed by two methods. With a slight damage, you can use the so-called intussusception, that is, put on external fillings (implants made of sponge or silicone tape), which "stick" the holes formed in the retina. The seals are sewn onto the sclera that forms the skeleton of the eye. They remain unchanged in the eye forever. The patient cannot see and feel them. A special type of intussusception is, rarely used anymore, placing a band under the muscles that move the eye. It allows you to block many holes or tears and protects the places where detachment most often occurs. The most modern method is vitrectomy, i.e. removal of the vitreous from the eye. The operation is performed under spinal or general anesthesia. A special silicone oil, gas or liquid is introduced in place of the vitreous. The areas of tearing are secured around with a laser. The oil should be changed after a few months (sometimes years), so it is more beneficial for the patient to administer gas, which after a few or several days is absorbed and is gradually replaced by the liquid produced by the eye.

You must do it

Sleep at least 8 hours. in a well-darkened room so that your eyes rest. With the penetrating light, even when we fall asleep, they will still be awake.

After a long work at the computer, spending time on the beach or in the sparium, put a warm compress on the eyelids (for 10-15 minutes) with an infusion of eyebrows, verbena, chamomile or cool tea essence.

Take care of good room lighting.It is best to install a lamp near the ceiling and local lighting. For right-handed people on the left side. If there are only fluorescent lamps at work, put a lamp with an ordinary bulb on the desk.

Never buy - especially in a bazaar - optical glasses, even if only for reading, without consulting an ophthalmologist.

Use screens with an appropriate filter or a monitor with a built-in filter (with the so-called channel polarization). Computer glasses should have anti-reflective lenses.

When reading or doing precision work, keep your head 30-40 cm away from a book or needlework.

Do not read when you have a severe cold or cold, or when lying down.

Take breaks when you write and read for a long time (especially small print), work at the computer and watch TV. Blink your eyelids frequently to lubricate your eyeballs.

Do not watch TV in a dark room, but under diffused light. It is best to place a lamp with a low-power bulb, e.g. 25-watt, behind the TV. Sit two meters from the TV screen and do not stare at one point, look up and down.

Be outdoors as often as possible, preferably among greenery. On sunny days in summer and in winter, when the sun is reflecting on the snow, wear tinted glasses.

Retinal detachment - avoid the worst

A person who has had a retinal detachment in one eye must undergo a thorough examination by an ophthalmologist at least 3-4 times a year in order to avoid a retinal detachment in the other eye in time. detachment of its central place, i.e. blind spot. This is where the optic nerve leaves the eyeball towards the brain, called the optic nerve shield, and we are not normally aware of the blind spot because the brain ignores this small defect in our field of vision. However, when it peels off, we usually lose our eyesight forever.

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