Retinal Tears & Detachment Treatments
What are retinal tears and retinal detachment?
The retina is the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of our eye. Light rays are focused onto the retina through our cornea, pupil, and lens. The retina converts the light rays into impulses that travel through the optic nerve to our brain, where they are interpreted as the images we see.
The middle of our eye is filled with a clear gel called vitreous (vit-ree-us) attached to the retina.
Sometimes tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous will cast shadows on the retina, and you may sometimes see small dots, specks, strings, or clouds moving in your field of vision, these are called floaters. You can often see them when looking at a plain, light background, like a blank wall or blue sky.
As we age, the vitreous may shrink and pull on the retina. When this happens, you may notice what looks like flashing lights, lightning streaks, or the sensation of seeing “stars" these are called flashes.
Usually, the vitreous moves away from the retina without causing problems. But sometimes, the vitreous pulls hard enough to tear the retina in one or more places. Fluid may pass through a retinal tear, lifting the retina off the back of the eye — much like wallpaper can peel off a wall. When the retina is pulled away from the back of the eye like this, it is called a retinal detachment.
The retina does not work
when detached and vision is blurry. Retinal detachment is a very serious problem that almost always causes blindness unless it is treated.
At Munster Eye Care, we are dedicated to providing exceptional eye care services to patients in Munster, Indiana, Dyer, Indiana, Highland, Indiana, Hammond, Indiana, Griffith, Indiana, and the surrounding cities. With our team of experienced eye doctors and state-of-the-art facility, we strive to ensure that every patient receives personalized and comprehensive care.