What is retinal detachment and how does it manifest itself

Retinal detachment is a pathological process that requires urgent treatment. During it, the mesh membrane of the eye is separated from the vascular. In this case, the inner layers are affected, since the anatomical structure of the eye is such that the pigment epithelium, which is part of the retina, does not exfoliate.

This condition, if the help is not timely provided, can lead to partial or complete loss of vision, the development of cataracts, chronic inflammation.

It often happens that if the detachment occurs in one eye, it can happen in the second. It is necessary to be observed at the ophthalmologist.

There are two types of retinal detachment :

• Primary or idiopathic is characterized by what can occur only when the retina breaks and penetrates the fluid under it. There are vesicular and flat detachment of the retina, limited or total. What contributes to the emergence: myopia, head injuries, falling, lifting weights.
• Secondary arises with penetrating wounds, inflammatory diseases, hypertension, eye tumors, diabetes mellitus, and toxicosis of pregnant women. It is caused by the formation of connective tissue scars in the vitreous body, the so-called moorings, accumulation of fluid, or retinal stretching with a tumor or hematoma. In this case, not necessarily the appearance of breaks.

Retinal detachment: symptoms

What can alert and will allow to suspect, what there is a retinal detachment? The appearance of lightning and sparks in the eyes, a dark veil, curvature and swings of objects. A person observes a decreased vision and a limited field of vision. Quite often, all these signs increase in the evening, and in the morning become less pronounced. This is due to the movement and partial dissolution of the liquid during the sleep period. For a secondary detachment, a combination of the above characteristics with manifestations of the underlying disease is characteristic.

Retinal detachment: treatment

If the patient has a primary detachment of the retina, then several methods of treatment are possible:

• Diathermkoagulation;
• Cryopsy;
• Photo- or laser coagulation ;
• Scleroplasty operations on the sclera or inside it.

The first type of operation is the use of a needle electrode that solder the retina to the vascular membrane with the formation of a scar, which fixes it.

The second method is more sparing, while using special tips cooled by liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

Laser or photocoagulation is usually used in cases where there are gaps and flat retinal detachment.

In those cases when these methods do not lead to the desired effect, it is necessary to perform operations on the sclera, which can be carried out on its surface or inside the eyeball. To bring the separated layers of the retina together, seals are applied from their own tissues (part of the calcaneal tendon or ear cartilage, etc.), allotkanei (dura mater, cadaveric canned sclera), silicone rubber or catgut. The seal from the outside presses the necessary area of the sclera, bringing the layers together, it can be located radially, sectorally or in a circle. Quite often, use cirkal - fixing a special silicone thread or tape sclera along the equator of the eye, under which are the seals in the places of ruptures. To remove the liquid, a puncture of the sclera is made.

If the area of the rupture is very large, various implants can be inserted into the vitreous humor - puronitis, sterile air, latex vesicles, silicone oil. Thus, the rapprochement of the layers of the retina is made from within.

To treat secondary retinal detachment, it is necessary to cure the underlying disease: remove the tumor or moorings. In other cases, the same operations as for primary treatment are used.