Retinal detachment is a serious eye problem that can be seen at any age, although it is often seen in middle-aged and older people. It often develops suddenly. It is an eye problem that requires urgent intervention. To have information about retinal detachment, we must first give information about the structure of the eye.

We can examine the human eye in two parts: anterior and posterior segments. The layer we call retina is located in the posterior segment. The light coming into our eyes first passes through the cornea layer at the front of our eyes and enters the eye. It then passes through the lens and focuses on the retina at the back. The retina is leaning against the vascular layer behind it like a wallpaper. In the front part, there is the eye cavity (vitreous cavity). There is a gel called vitreous inside the vitreous cavity.

When a tear occurs in the retina for any reason, the fluid in the vitreous cavity can pass between the retina and the vascular layer. In this case, the retina is gradually separated from the vascular layer on which it lies behind. Over time, the separated retinal layer grows. This condition is called retinal detachment.

If treatment is delayed, permanent or partial vision loss may result due to the nerve cells in the retina being deprived of oxygen and nutrients.

Retinal Detachment is divided into 3 types according to its formation;

Detachment caused by tear:

Depending on its formation, the most common type is tear type detachment. The vitreous fluid that fills the eye undergoes changes in its structure due to age or various eye traumas. As a result of these changes, it liquefies and contracts.

During this contraction, it can stretch the retina and cause various tears. If the holes resulting from this tear are not noticed, fluid may enter through them, causing detachment in the future.

Traction-related detachment:

It may occur after diabetes, various eye traumas and some eye diseases. Various damages inside the eye cause shrinkage in this area. As a result of this pulling, detachment occurs if no intervention is made.

Exudative type detachment:

It can occur as a result of eye inflammation, various traumas and eye diseases. It occurs as a result of fluid accumulation under the retina.

The person may see sudden brightness in the form of flashes of light. When a retinal tear occurs, vision may decrease suddenly as a result of bleeding in a vessel in the retina. In such a case, if the bleeding is minimal, vision may become slightly blurred.

In many cases, symptoms of retinal tear may be hidden. In other words, the patient may not be aware of the retinal tear. As retinal tear progresses to retinal detachment, vision loss begins.

Symptoms of retinal detachment appear in the form of decreased vision for the patient. Symptoms such as seeing floating objects in the eye and the gradual increase in the size of these objects, experiencing shadows in vision, blurring, seeing a black curtain moving from one direction to another in the visual field, and sudden flashes of light occur.

A physical examination is first performed on a patient presenting with symptoms of a retinal tear. In patients whose back of the eye is difficult to see, the diagnosis can be confirmed with an eye ultrasound.

Detection of tears before retinal detachment occurs is important for treatment. A retinal tear causes symptoms such as floating objects in the eye, flashes of light, and narrowing of peripheral vision. If the person encounters these symptoms, he should consult an ophthalmologist without delay.

If a retinal tear is detected in the patient as a result of a detailed eye examination, it is usually treated with the laser method. Tears and holes formed in this area are sometimes seen in the macula. In this case, laser treatment cannot be applied, but surgery can be used.

If the beginning of detachment is detected as a result of holes and tears in this area as a result of the eye examination, surgery is required. Which surgery will be performed depends on the number of tears in this area, when they started, their size, shape and location.

Laser treatment of retinal tear problem is a treatment that can be performed in an office setting. Early diagnosis is very important to start treatment. Because for laser treatment, detachment must not have developed.

In laser treatment, the ophthalmologist creates small burns around the retinal tear with the help of laser beams. The scar tissue thus formed connects this area to the underlying tissue from which it was separated. The aim here is to prevent detachment by preventing fluid accumulation in the lower area.

If the detachment is due to a tear or traction, the treatment is surgical intervention. Collapse therapy, intraocular gas injection, and vitrectomy surgery are retinal surgery options for treatment of posterior vitreous detachment.

It is applied to early diagnosed detachments. By injecting a gas bubble into the eye, it is aimed to prevent fluid leakage from the torn area.

The aim is to close the tear by providing scleral collapse using a silicone band from outside the eye without direct intervention inside the eye.

In vitrectomy surgery, the eye fluid called vitreous is cleaned from under the retina and then the tears are closed with a laser method. The main purpose here is to withdraw the vitreous fluid that initiated the separation and leaked into the lower region. It is to close it so that it does not happen again.

We hope this article post has been useful for you. If you have any questions or concerns about eye treatments, please contact us for more information and guidance. You can contact us by e-mail or whatsapp for a free consultation.