Retinal detachment: symptoms, causes, treatment

Detachment of the retina is a severe disease of the eye. During the development of this disease, the vascular membrane separates from the retina. At present, retinal detachment remains the most difficult in terms of pathological conditions and surgery. Over the past decade there has been a steady increase in this nosological form. Annually, retinal detachment occurs in one out of 10,000 people and is one of the causes of blindness and disability. Among people suffering from this pathology, about 70% are persons of working age.

The main cause of retinal detachment is the presence of a ruptured mesh shell, through which the vitreous fluid begins to penetrate the retina, thereby peeling it off from the vascular membrane. Also, the factor that has the development of the disease are circulatory disorders, leading to the appearance of dystrophic processes, and as a consequence, to the disruption of the relationship between the vitreous body and the retina.

Detachment of the retina is traumatic, idiopathic and degenerative. The main symptoms are: lacrimation and flickering flashes in front of the eyes, similar to lightning. The appearance of these outbreaks is explained by the "superimposition" of the vitreous body on the retina of the eye, while it loses fluid, and the retina begins to "hit" on it. Complaints about the "curtain" or shroud before the eyes, preventing normal vision, can mean the beginning of the process of detachment of the retina. If you have these symptoms, you need to urgently consult an ophthalmologist for a retina scan, until the situation becomes critical. In no case should you try to cure yourself with any drops or injections, the only way you can treat retinal detachment is an operation whose main purpose is to detect the existing retinal rupture and eliminate it.

Retinal detachment can occur at any age, but in most cases, this disease occurs in mature people between the ages of 25 to 50 years of myopia ( high myopia) , as well as in elderly people who underwent surgery for cataract removal. The main risk factors for this disease are: severe short-sightedness, various eye injuries, heredity.

The main method of treatment of this pathology is a surgical operation, an obligatory condition for the success of which is its timeliness, since the long-term presence of detachment of the retina leads to the death of neurons and irreversible changes in the retina.

The most commonly used methods for the restoration of exfoliated retina include:

1. Sclerosing method - a piece of gum, silicone sponge or elastic plastic is placed on the outer layer of the eye, which prevents the formation of new foci of delamination, reducing pressure on the retina, and also supports retinal layers.
2. The method of pneumatic retinopexy - an air bubble is introduced into the eye, which migrates to the site of exfoliation and blocks it, thereby preventing the liquid from accumulating more under the retina.

Sometimes, in order to achieve a complete fit of the retina, it is necessary to operate the detachment several times. In the event that the detachment does not touch the macular area, the predictions for restoring vision are quite optimistic, otherwise the visual defect will remain forever. The degree of severity of this defect will depend on the speed at which qualified help is sought.

Prophylactic treatment for the holes and ruptures of the retina has not yet led to detachment of the retina: laser coagulation and cryotherapy. Thermal exposure to heat or cold, which starts inflammation and soldering of the retina to the choroid.