Dr
Dr. Thomas Lee is a Retina Specialist at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles and a member of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. After his introduction of the eye nomenclature he explained that the retina is 10% of the eye’s composition and does 90% of the work. This is why it is so important to watch for symptoms of detachment or degenerations (sudden floaters and light flashes). Facts show that most patients with giant retinal tears are able to save one eye and patients usually have one totally blind eye. This is mostly due to lack of knowledge with the patient that a retinal tear is occurring and it is usually ignored until a giant tear forms causing vision impairment too late to repair. Commonly, the other eye is affected with small holes or signs of a tear and is treated successfully.
Two treatments have proven to be more successful to save vision in retinal detachments and tears. 1) Scleral Buckle which is a band around the eyeball under the eye muscle (90% or better success rate). 2) Pneumatic Retinopexy is a bubble of gas injected in the eye which pushes against the wall of the eye and allows fluid to be pumped out from beneath it (85% or better success rate).
Another treatment includes Vitrectomy where the surgeon removes the vitreous gel from the middle of the eye. This gives the surgeon a better view of the back of the eye. Once removed the surgeon may treat the retina with laser, cut or remove fibrous or scar tissue from the retina, flatten areas where the retina has become detached or repair tears or holes in the retina. Silicone oil or a gas is injected into the eye to replace the vitreous gel and restore normal eye pressure.
Two non-invasive surgical or post-surgical treatments include Laser Retinopexy which are spot welds around tears to hold the repairs and Cryotherapy which is a frost over areas of treatment controlled by surgeons foot pedal. Both help prevent tears and support the surgical area of small tears or holes.
Dr. Lee discussed the importance of Dr. Martin Snead’s Prophylaxis Treatment research results as valid preventative care to retina detachments. He said this is the first controlled study published to show that Cryotherapy and Laser Retinopexy treatments can be successful to reduce the risk of retinal detachments. This research showed that of the patients who received Cryotherapy only 6% later developed retinal detachments while 60%+ of the non-Cryotherapy treated patients experienced retina detachments.
Finally, Dr. Lee discussed the risks of laser treatment being eye inflammation, small peripheral damage, puncture core = hemorrhaging, cataracts and nerve damage to pupil dilation. These are rare but always possible.
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