Essay On Retinal Detachment

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Retinal Detachment

The retina is a thin membrane that lines the back of the eye. It is the part of the eye that lets you see. Retinal detachment is the separation of the retina from the back of the eye.

Retinal detachment causes vision loss. There are two types of retinal detachment:

Partial. Partial retinal detachment is when only a part of the retina detaches from the back of the eye. A partial detachment usually causes some loss of side vision. Side vision is what you see just off to the side of what you are looking at. Rarely, it causes some loss of central vision. Central vision is what you see when you are looking at something. It is also what allows you to see focused, detailed images and color.

Complete. Complete retinal
Seeing floating specks or cobwebs (floaters) in front of your eye.

Seeing a black area in any part of your side vision.

Having fuzzy vision.

Seeing a floating empty circle in front of you.

DIAGNOSIS

You will be diagnosed by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist). To make a diagnosis, your ophthalmologist will make your pupils larger (dilation) and examine both your eyes.
TREATMENT

Treatment depends on the location, size, and nature of the retinal detachment. You may be treated with:

A laser. A laser may be the only treatment needed if only one area has detached and it is small.

Surgery. This may be done if the area that has detached is large. During the surgery fluid will be drained and a freezing probe will be used to create scar tissue. The scar tissue will help make the retina adhere to its underlying tissues once it flattens out.

Methods also exist which involve the injection of fluid or air into the vitreous cavity.

HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Home care instruction should be given by the retina specialist depending on the type of detachment and the surgery or method that was used to treat it.

SEEK MEDICAL CARE

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