The doctors at Bennett & Bloom Eye Centers are specialists in laser surgery&#;we&#;ve even written two books about it! Retinal laser surgery is performed as a treatment for a variety of retinal problems including central serous retinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, ocular histoplasmosis, retinal arterial macroaneurysms, retinal vein occlusions, and retinal breaks,
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The laser is an instrument that produces a pure, high-intensity beam of light energy. The laser light can be precisely focused onto the retina (the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye), selectively treating the desired area while leaving the surrounding tissues untouched. The absorbed energy creates a microscopic spot to destroy lesions or weld tissues together.
Laser surgery is usually painless and performed in our office while you remain awake and comfortable. Laser treatment can often preserve vision or prevent vision loss if given in a timely fashion.
A laser is an instrument that produces a pure, high-intensity beam of light energy. The laser light can be focused onto the retina, selectively treating the desired area while leaving the surrounding tissues untouched. The absorbed energy creates a microscopic spot to destroy lesions or weld tissues together. Each of our offices is equipped with the state-of-the-art Iridex OcuLight GL laser.
Lasers were first widely used to treat eye diseases in the early s and have become the standard of care for previously untreatable disorders. For many patients, the laser can preserve or prevent vision loss if given in a timely fashion.
Your eye will almost always look and feel normal with retinal diseases, even when there is hemorrhaging and leakage in the back of your eye. Your sight may also be normal for a while despite the presence of potentially blinding eye problems.
The only way to tell if you need laser surgery is to have a careful, dilated retinal examination, often followed by special testing including OCT scanning and fluorescein angiography. Lasers are commonly used to treat the following eye conditions:
Diabetes causes circulation problems throughout the body, including the eyes, nerves, and kidneys. The retinal blood vessels are usually like pipes, bringing blood into and out of the back of the eye. In diabetes, however, the vessels may leak, causing the retina to swell and not work properly (diabetic macular edema). Vision is affected when the swelling involves the central vision area. Laser surgery can seal the leaks, thereby preventing further vision loss.
Some patients will have new retinal blood vessels grow to replace some which have closed from diabetes (proliferative diabetic retinopathy). While this sounds helpful, these new blood vessels can cause blindness from bleeding and scarring. Laser treatment can often prevent severe vision loss by making these new vessels disappear.
The small blood vessels that drain blood from the retina (retinal veins) can sometimes become blocked as part of the aging process. This is more common in patients with diabetes or high blood pressure. A retinal vein occlusion can cause the retina to swell with fluid and blood, blurring central and peripheral vision. Other times, new blood vessels may grow and cause pain with very high pressure inside the eye (neovascular glaucoma). Laser treatment can help reduce this swelling or cause the new blood vessels to disappear.
Some people will develop aging changes in the macula, the portion of the retina responsible for our central reading vision. Most will experience the less harmful dry type, which usually causes minimal visual changes. The more severe, or wet type, causes the macula to swell with fluid and blood. Symptoms of wet macular degeneration include painless blurred or distorted vision. Urgent treatment can often prevent or delay vision loss in some patients with this wet type.
Most people in the Kentuckiana area have been exposed to histoplasmosis, a tiny plant-like organism (fungus) that causes an asymptomatic or viral-type illness early in life. There are often scars left behind in the eye and lungs that usually cause no symptoms. Some patients will develop new blood vessels adjacent to an old macular histoplasmosis scar. These vessels usually cause painless blurring or distortion. Urgent treatment can control these leaking vessels, often preserving central vision.
The retina lines the back of the eye like wallpaper. Retinal tears or holes can occur from congenital retinal thinning, as part of aging, or following cataract surgery or eye injury. Patients will often see cobweb-like floaters or light flashes when a retinal break develops. The liquid that normally fills the central portion of the eye (the vitreous) can leak beneath the break, lifting the retina away from the eyewall. This is called a retinal detachment, which can cause blindness if left untreated. Laser surgery around retinal tears is often able to weld the retina to the underlying eyewall. This can prevent or limit retinal detachment.
Central serous consists of one or more &#;blisters&#; of fluid (serous detachment) beneath the macula. It can cause central blurriness, distortion, abnormal color vision, blind spots, and temporary farsightedness. Although the vast majority of cases will resolve spontaneously, laser photocoagulation is sometimes necessary for persistent lesions.
Some patients will have non-cancerous leaking vascular tumors that can cause the retina to swell and not function properly. Laser surgery can destroy these tumors and allow the swelling to go away.
There are no special preparations before eye laser treatment. You should eat normally and take your regularly prescribed medications before surgery.
Retinal laser surgery is performed in our office. Eye drops will be given to dilate the pupil and numb the eye. The treatment is performed while you are seated in a chair, similar to the one used for regular eye examinations. You will remain awake and comfortable. Treatment is usually painless, although some patients may rarely require a numbing injection for discomfort or sensitivity to the laser light.
The laser treatment usually takes less than 30 minutes to complete, and you can go home immediately following surgery. Arrangements for transportation should be made in advance since you may not be able to drive right away.
There are virtually no restrictions following retinal laser surgery, and you should be able to resume your normal activities and work schedule the following day.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Laser Retinal Imaging.
Most patients notice no vision changes following their laser surgery, although there may be some temporary blurring for several weeks to months. In addition, depending on the condition being treated, some may notice a permanent blind spot or decrease in peripheral and night vision.
It will take several weeks to months before we can tell whether laser surgery has been successful. Many patients, however, will need more than one treatment to control their eye problem and prevent further loss of vision.
View more retina images at Retina Rocks, the world&#;s largest online multimedia retina image library and bibliography repository.
Retinal tears occur in the retina, which is the thin lining in the back of your eye that helps you see. The retina is normally attached to the eye using a gel-like substance, called the vitreous. When this gel starts to pull away at the retina, it causes a retinal tear. This can also cause bleeding in the eye if there are also blood vessels present in the area. Retinal tears need to be treated in a timely manner and with proper treatment, otherwise, they can have serious impacts on your long-term vision and can lead to a more serious condition called retinal detachment. A retinal tear can safely be treated with laser surgery.
Retinal tears are typically painless. However, retinal tears may cause intermittent flashing lights, floaters, or a shower of black dots. Flashing light symptoms may be more intense with eye movement. Usually, floaters are more noticeable if you are in strong light. Some people may experience a number of different symptoms, while others may not notice anything.
Retinal tears can happen at any age but will be more common in the elderly. The separation can be a natural part of the aging process in the eye. Tears are more common for people who are near-sighted and in those where there is a family history of retinal tears or retinal detachments. Those that have already had a previous retinal tear may be more likely to experience another one.
The small holes and tears in the retina are treated with surgery. The procedure will be done in the office with local anesthesia. During the treatment, the laser is used to create tiny burns around the retinal tear. Then the healing that happens after the spot is treated helps prevent the tear from becoming a full-blown retinal detachment. Occasionally, it&#;s not possible to use laser treatment depending on the location of the tear.
After laser surgery, the healing process takes anywhere from one week to four. It can take up to a full week for the treatment to fully seal the tear, but it&#;s important to pay attention to anything that can go wrong once it is sealed. In order to make sure that your eye properly heals, it&#;s also important to limit daily activity and avoid doing anything strenuous for about a month after your surgery. This will give your eye enough time to heal and recover properly, and it further helps reduce the risk of another tear or further eye damage.
You may get eye drops after surgery to help prevent infection. You may also have to wear a patch over the eye in order to avoid any unnecessary exposure to your eye. It can be normal if you have redness around the eye, swollen or inflamed eyes, or blurred vision after the surgery.
It may feel overwhelming at first with directions on how to care for your retinal tear, but your eye surgeon will give you tips on how to continue your recovery and stay safe at home after surgery. In order to properly heal and protect your vision, the best thing you can do is be sure to follow these instructions closely.
When you do get home, you may notice that you have a loss of peripheral vision, see floaters or flashing lights, or have other vision changes during your recovery period. If you continue to follow your recovery plan instructions, then these symptoms will just be temporary and should continue to improve as time goes on.
If you have a laser treatment where intraocular gas is used then you should follow precautions in the following two to six weeks when the gas is in the eye. You should not go on any airplane or have any nitrous oxide used for another procedure with anesthesia since the intraocular gas can then expand and damage the eye. You may need to keep your head in a certain position since proper head positioning will allow the gas bubble to push your retina back into place. Your eye doctor will explain which positions are more conducive to your recovery and which activities are best to avoid in order to prevent any damage to your eye.
While your instructions may vary depending on your eye surgeon and specific recovery, there are some general things you can do to help.
In the weeks after your surgery, you should continue to monitor your vision and the area where the tear occurred to prevent any long-term vision loss. If you do have any symptoms of vision changes or symptoms of retinal detachment, you want to make sure you speak with your eye surgeon quickly.
Recovery may not always be a smooth process and you could be in discomfort in the days and weeks following your procedure and the vitreous gel reattaches and the retina heals. While you may not have any vision changes, you still want to make sure that you don&#;t become complacent and follow the directions of your eye surgeon to prevent any eye problems in the future. There are some signs that you should call your eye surgeon for a follow-up appointment.
Many retinal tears happen in the far peripheral retina, which is a part of the retina that is not normally used to see. If this type of tear occurs, then there won&#;t be any noticeable changes to your peripheral vision from the tear or the surgery treatment. The laser treatment won&#;t treat any flashing lights or floaters, and if you do experience these then they will gradually improve on their own in the coming weeks or months.
Even though there may be no long-term impacts from retinal tears, they still need to be treated properly. If you do notice any symptoms of retinal tear and changes in your vision, it&#;s important to contact us at Florida Eye Specialists & Cataract Institute for prompt treatment. Since retinal tears may not present with any symptoms, be sure you schedule regular eye appointments so your eye doctor can notice if there are any issues with your eyes. Regular eye checkups are even more important as you age since retinal tears can be a normal part of the eye aging process. Contact us today for an appointment.
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