Understanding Retinal Detachment: A Critical Threat to Vision, Warns USP Medical Expert
Retina, a membrane that covers the inside of the eye with photosensitive cells; retinal detachment, an ophthalmological disease that can cause irreversible damage to vision if not treated early. This is a very serious injury, explains Marcelo Rego, head of the Retina department at the Hospital das Clínicas of the USP School of Medicine in Ribeirão Preto. “Detachment can occur after trauma or diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, but the vast majority of cases occur without any relation to trauma or disease.” The retina is fragile and this causes it to tear in one or more places. This tear allows fluid to enter through it, causing the detachment of the most sensitive and most important part of the eye for vision. “If we compare the eye to a camera, it would be like film. Another comparison would be with a satellite dish. The retina captures everything in the environment and it will be absorbed by it and sent to the brain to be transformed into vision. And that is why people who have retinal detachment lose their sight.”
But how can you tell if you might have this problem? Symptoms that a person may experience include: the perception of floating spots in their vision or the sensation of flashes of light. Shadows may also occur, a loss of the field of vision in which the person can see from the top or bottom half of their vision, and a sudden loss of vision, when they suddenly lose their vision completely. The damage to their vision will depend on the extent of the detachment. When it is still small, occurring only in a peripheral part, in the corner of the retina, it is possible to perform surgery and have no after-effects; the person will have the same vision as before the detachment. If the detachment is more extensive and reaches the central region of the vision, in the vast majority of cases there will be after-effects; the vision will not return to exactly what it was.
Importance of diagnosis
Early diagnosis and rapid treatment are essential to prevent the patient from losing their vision. In cases where the retina detaches and there is a delay in discovering the problem and treating it, the person may lose their vision completely or remain with very low vision, even after surgery.
Detachment can occur without the person noticing, without presenting any symptoms, and will only notice it when the retina has practically detached completely, causing sudden loss of vision. Rego emphasizes that there are situations in which there is a much higher chance of retinal detachment occurring. “We can highlight cases of eye trauma, patients with myopia and diabetes. These are situations in which close monitoring by a retina specialist will be very important. In cases of myopia, it is important to remember that the greater the degree, the greater the chance of further detachment. Anyone who undergoes surgery to correct the problem needs medical monitoring to avoid the risk of a new injury.”
The technique for retinal detachment surgery has evolved significantly in recent years. Today, the success rate is over 90% to 95%. However, patients will need to be monitored very closely, as the retina may detach again. Anyone who suffers a detachment should be careful to have both eyes examined, as there is a risk of the problem affecting both eyes.