Best Retina specialist in Hyderabad –At Elite Eye Hospital
What is retina?
Retina is the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, its function similar to that of the film in a camera. In our eyes, cornea and lens allow light rays to pass through them and help them focus on the retina precisely. Retina consists of nerves that carry these signals to the brain where the signals get interpreted into images that we perceive.
What are the common retinal conditions that affect patients frequently?
The common retinal conditions that we see include:
- Diabetic retinopathy – Damage to the blood vessels in the retina due to diabetes.
- Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) – Age related damage to the central part of the retina called the macula.
- Retinal vein occlusion – Certain conditions like systemic hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol can lead to blockage of retinal blood vessels leading to vision loss.
- Retinal detachment – An ocular emergency where retina gets pulled away from its normal position and can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly.
- Central serous retinopathy – fluid gets collected behind the retina and central vision becomes blurry.
- Macular hole – a small hole in the center of retina, known as macula, causing difficulty in central vision like reading, driving and recognising faces.
- Epiretinal membrane – Formation of thin layer of scar tissue on the surface of retina, leading to distorted and blurred central vision.
- Retinal holes or tears – Holes or tears in the retina may or may not have any symptoms and if left untreated, can lead to retinal detachment rarely.
What are the symptoms of a retinal problem?
Symptoms may be subtle and often missed in early stages of some conditions. Symptoms, if present, include:
- Floaters and flashes of light : Floaters are tiny black spots or threads floating in the field of vision. Flashes are short bursts of light visualised like a lighting inside the eye. They can be harmless or sometimes be associated with a dangerous condition like retinal detachment. Hence, immediate evaluation is extremely crucial.
- Blurred or distorted vision : May cause difficulty in reading or recognising faces.
- Dark spots : Shadows or dark spots may be perceived in central or peripheral vision.
- Color vision problem : Color vision difficulty, though usually present since birth, can get affected due to retinal problems later in life.
- Blurring of vision during a part of the day like night blindness or difficulty to see in the day or in bright illumination can also occur due to retinal problems.
- Sudden loss of vision – Can occur due to retinal detachment or sudden bleeding inside the eye.
How do we diagnose a retinal problem?
Dr. Siva Wurity is the best retina surgeon in Hyderabad, employing a comprehensive approach to diagnose and treat retinal conditions. His process ranges from a step-by-step detailed evaluation of the eye to advanced imaging techniques, all tailored to each patient’s condition.
To get a clear understanding of the underlying retinal problem that the patient is suffering, we may need sophisticated diagnostics like :
- Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) : An advanced imaging technique that gives detailed cross sectional images of the retina.
- Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA) : An imaging technique that utilises a dye being injected into the patient’s arm and images of retina are taken to study and identify problems like blockage, leakage and swelling of blood vessels.
- Indocyanine Angiography (ICGA) : A dye bases imaging technique performed similiarly like FFA to study the deeper layers like choroid, in conditions like ARMD and eye tumors.
- Fundus Photography : Helps to take clear images of the fundus for documentation and comparision of the status of retinal condition over time.
- Electroretinography (ERG) : A test to measure the electrical response of the retinal nerves when light stimulates the retina.
- Visual Field Testing : To assess dark spots or shadows in the field of vision.
- B scan Ultrasonography : To assess the status of retina used in case the retina cannot be seen directly
What types of treatment are we offering for the retina?
Treatment depends on the specific type of problem affecting the retina.
Medical Management : Includes usage of eye drops or oral medications in early stages of some retinal conditions
- Laser treatment (Photocoagulation) : Focal laser or grid macular laser to treat conditions that affect the central part of retina and peripheral laser to treat conditions like diabetic retinopathy are employed.
- Anti VEGF injections : Injections are given directly to the eye to aid in reducing swelling in the retina due to underlying retinal condition.
- Vitrectomy surgery : A surgical procedure done to remove blood or scar tissue from the eye.
- Pneumatic retinopexy : A less invasive procedure that involves injecting a gas bubble into the eye to push back the detached retina to its natural position.
- Electroretinography (ERG) : A test to measure the electrical response of the retinal nerves when light stimulates the retina.
- Scleral buckling : A silicone band is placed around the eye to treat retinal detachment without entering the eye.
Emergency Retina Care
Often retinal conditions require urgent attention and immediate treatment since untreated conditions can lead to irreversible permanent loss of vision. Hence, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned earlier, consult an expert in retina and get your retina checked. Dr Siva Wurity is a highly experienced comprehensive eye retina specialist in Hyderabad who has utmost care and compassion for the well-being of the patient. He is committed to promptly addressing urgent eye concerns and helps in guiding patients who require specialised retinal care.
