Our Services

Retina Services

The eye is like a camera with a lens in front and a film (retina) at the back. The retina is located approximately two centimetre’s behind your pupil. It is shaped like a small cup. The retina converts the ocular image into a signal that is sent to the brain. The central part of the retina, called the macula, is used for straight-ahead vision and what is in your direct line of sight.

Diseases of the retina, the vitreous, and the optic nerve can cause serious vision problems. Fortunately, most of them can now be managed satisfactorily with modern methods of diagnosis and treatment.

• Following Diseases can be seen:
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Retinal Vein Occlusion
• Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)
• Retinal Breaks and Retinal Detachments
• Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSCR)
• Other Tumors

• Diabetic Retinopathy

  The retinal blood vessels are capillaries that bring blood in & out of the eye. Normally these blood vessels do not leak, But in diabetes, these vessels leak and pour fluid into the retina .this results in loss of transparency of retina, swelling and improper working of retina. When the swelling involves the central area of retina it is called macular oedema.

  Laser treatment is used to seal the leaky blood vessels, thereby preventing further vision loss. In some patients new retinal blood vessels grow, which will replace damaged vessels called new vessels. This presence of new blood vessels will result in progression to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. This new retinal blood vessel, unlike the normal blood vessel, has a tendency to bleed inside the eye, resulting in decreased vision. Laser treatment can often prevent severe vision loss by making these new vessels regress.

• Impact of diabetes

  If diabetes is left untreated it will lead to several complications like rise in eye pressure (glaucoma), clouding of the lens (cataract), and weakness of the optic nerve or eye muscle and retinal detachment. Damage to the small vessels of the optic nerve can affect vision, and weakness of the eye muscles may cause double vision. A diabetic is also more likely to develop sudden vision loss due to occlusion of the retinal vessels (branch or central retinal vein occlusion), bleeding in the vitreous cavity, detachment of the retina, or infections of the cornea and vitreous.

• Management of diabetic retinopathy
  • Laser therapy is used to limit the damage .Swelling of the central part of the retina may be controlled with laser treatments.
  • Intra ocular injection with anti veg like avastin ,lucentis etc can be used
  • In proliferative retinopathy vitrectomy, membrane peelings etc need to done to preserve the retina.
• Retinal Vein Occlusion

  The small blood vessels that drain the blood from the retina (retinal veins) can sometimes get blocked (retinal vein occlusion). This is more common in patients with diabetes or high blood pressure. A retinal vein occlusion can cause the retina to swell with fluid and blood, blurring central and peripheral vision. At other times, new blood vessels may grow and cause pain as well as very high pressure inside the eye (neovascular glaucoma).

  Laser treatment can help reduce this swelling or cause the new blood vessels to disappear

• Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)

  With age, some people may develop changes in the macula, the central portion of the retina responsible for precise vision. ARMD are of two forms, namely dry, wet type. Most people develop the dry type of AMD, which usually causes gradual vision loss. The more severe or wet type causes the macula to swell with fluid and blood (CNVM).

  Symptoms of wet macular degeneration include painless, blurred and distorted vision. Wet ARMD is managed with Anti VEGEF injections, like; Avastrin, Luecentis etc. Visually unrecovered patients due to ARMD will be rehabilitated with the Low vision aids.

• Retinal Breaks and Retinal Detachment

  When a retinal tear develops, patients often see cobweb-like floaters or light flashes. The liquid that normally fills the central portion of the eye (the vitreous) can leak beneath the tear, lifting the retina away from the eye wall. This is called a retinal detachment, which if left untreated can cause blindness. Often laser surgery around retinal tears before the fluid accumulates enables retinal surgeons to weld the retina to the underlying eye wall. This can prevent or limit retinal detachment.

Uveitis

Uveitis is an inflammation that occurs in the middle layer of the eye. It can also lead to inflammation of retina and vitreous the gel in the eye. Has your doctor told you that you have Uveitis? Stop worrying. Your doctor will now suggest the most appropriate treatment to follow to control the disease

Causes of uveitis?

• Systematic diseases
• Infection by a virus, bacteria, fungus or a parasite.
• Auto-immune reaction to ocular antigens.

Types of Uveitis

Uveitis depends upon the location of the inflammation of tissue. Anterior Uveitis: Affects the front or anterior portion of the eye.
Posterior Uveitis: Affects the back or the posterior portion of the eye. The inflammation may affect the retina, choroid or both.
Panuveitis: Panuveitis affects the entire uveal tract. It is the severe form of uveitis often causes blurring of the vision with varying degrees of pain and redness.

 

Treatment strategies

Treatement will depend on the cause, severity and location of the inflammation. The treatment may include eye drops, injections and oral medications. The prescribed eye drops will relax the muscles inside the eye, dilate the pupil & relieve the pain. This may cause some glare in bright light. Patients are advised to use dark glasses. When the inflammation is extensive or severe, systemic oral drugs such as steroids and immunosuppressive drugs are needed.

Important Advice

The medicines prescribed by the doctor must to continued until advised to stop .Do not start or stop the medication on your own..If you forgot to use your eye drops, use them as soon as you remember, instead of waiting till the next scheduled time.

Can Uveitis recur?

Yes, in many cases uveitis can recur. The frequency and severity of attacks is however, unpredictable. Consult your ophthalmologist as soon as you notice any signs of recurrence; this will make the treatment simpler and lead to a quicker and resolution of uveitis .if adequate care is not provided early there could be irreversible complications including visual damge.