Retinal Conditions
The eye is one of the most important organs in the body and the retina receives information about everything you see such as colours, shapes and movements. Thousands of times each day, the eyes move and focus on images near and far, providing detailed 3-Dimensional pictures of the world around us. The eyes help accumulate a lifetime of memories in a visual form, making it a gift that is unlike any other. Retina disorders can affect the way that you process visual information and lead to distorted or absent vision.
Retinal Detachment
A retinal detachment is a medical emergency occurring when the sensory retina separates from the retinal pigment epithelium. It often arises after a retinal hole appears.
Retinal detachments are divided into 2 types, namely: rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and non rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment occurs due to retinal breaks. Non – rhegmatogenous retinal detachments are either tractional or exudative.
The following symptoms may be observed; reduction of vision, floaters and flashes of light. Retinal detachments may occur as a result of a posterior vitreous detachment.
Retinal detachments are treated by means of surgery, usually the kind of surgery involving working inside the back of the eye. A pars plana vitrectomy entails the surgical removal of the vitreous from the eye and replacing with silicone oil or gas. Patients may be advised not to travel in airplanes for up to 6 weeks after retinal surgery is performed.
