Retinal Services

What Is The Retina And The Vitreous?

The Retina is the intricate membrane that lines the inside of the eye. Comparatively, the Retina acts similar to film in a camera. Images are captured on the Retina, encoded, and then sent to the brain via the optic nerve. As you can imagine the processes of the Retina are very complex and can be hindered in a number of different ways.

Attached to certain areas of the Retina, and filling the inside of the eye, is the vitreous. The vitreous is a gel-like substance that gives the eye shape and volume. Foreign matter or fluid in the vitreous can be very harmful.

What Is Macular Degeneration?

Macular Degeneration is a progressive eye condition affecting as many as 10 million Americans and millions more around the world. This disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest central vision occurs. Although it rarely results in complete blindness, it robs the individual of all but the outermost, peripheral vision, leaving only dim images or black holes at the center of vision.

Individuals with Macular Degeneration may first notice a blurring of central vision that is most apparent when performing visually detailed tasks such as reading and sewing. Blurred central vision may also make straight lines appear slightly distorted or warped. As the disease progresses, blind spots form within central vision. In most cases, if one eye has Macular Degeneration, the other eye will also develop the disease. The extent of central vision loss varies according to the type of degeneration.

What Are The Types Of Macular Degeneration?

There are two types of Macular Degeneration, wet and dry.

Dry MD is the most common. It is caused by the aging and thinning of blood vessels under the macula which results in mild, yet gradually occurring loss of vision that is especially noticeable during activities such as reading. Dry MD accounts for about 80% of all Macular Degeneration cases, but leads to only 20% of cases in which there is a severe loss of vision.

Wet MD is less frequent but accounts for the majority of cases with severe vision loss. It is significantly more aggressive in nature and is caused by an abnormal growth of new blood vessels that leak blood and other fluids. Wet MD disrupts the central viewing function of the macula resulting in visual distortion and eventually the loss of central vision entirely.

Research for treatments of Macular Degeneration has progressed dramatically. New technologies now exist for treating the disease. In the meantime, high-intensity reading lamps, magnifiers and other low-vision aids help people with Macular Degeneration make the most of their remaining vision.

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetes can affect many aspects of a person’s health. It can have very damaging effects on the eye as well. The Retina contains blood vessels that can become damaged as a result of diabetes. There are two types of Diabetic Retinopathy: Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR), which is the early, less severe form of the disease; and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR), the later stages of the disease which can cause the most damage to a person’s vision.

Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy is caused by fluid from the blood vessels in the Retina leaking into the macula. This causes the macula to swell and can lead to blurry or cloudy vision. In its more advanced stages, Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy sets in and new blood vessels can form in the Retina. These irregular blood vessels can cause damage by leaking blood into the vitreous. If it goes untreated, PDR can possibly lead to Retinal detachment and even glaucoma.

Management of Diabetic Retinopathy ranges from simple maintenance to complex treatments. Being health conscious about managing diabetes can stave off the onset of NPDR. It is important that persons with diabetes have regular eye checkups to monitor developments in the Retina. If more serious problems become apparent there are a variety of medical and surgical procedures that can be employed to protect the patient’s vision as much as possible.

What Are Floaters?

Floaters are small abnormalities in a person’s vision. They can appear as tiny spots or small curvy lines that move along with the movement of the eye. There are many possible causes of floaters, but usually they are the result of problems in the vitreous. Floaters can occur for a variety of reasons. Foreign matter in the vitreous, physical injury to the eye, and a number of eye diseases can all cause floaters. While floaters do not have major adverse effects on overall vision, it is important that people experiencing these spots monitor them closely as they could be indicative of a more serious condition.

Katzen’s Vitreo-Retinal Specialist

Katzen Eye Group is fortunate to have on staff a fellowship trained Vitreo-Retinal specialist, Dr. Joseph B. Harlan, who provides patients with the highest level of expertise in medical and surgical management of vitreous and Retinal disease. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation.