Retina Conditions Including Macular Degeneration Treated at Our Arizona Practice
The retina is the layer of tissue on the back of the eye responsible for receiving focused light waves and transmitting them as images to the brain, via the optic nerve. When the retina becomes damaged by certain diseases, permanent vision loss and even blindness may result. Two very common conditions that can affect the retina are diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Patients visiting any of our Arizona locations may be examined and treated for either of these diseases, as well as for other conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
The macula is a small area of the retina responsible for detailed vision of up-close objects. As your eyes age, the maculas are likely to undergo some level of deterioration, a condition known as age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and dry.
Dry AMD
Dry AMD accounts for about 90 percent of macular degeneration cases treated by our Arizona doctors. This type of AMD is caused by the breakdown of the cells in the macula responsible for registering the presence of light. As more and more cells are affected, you may notice that your central vision is becoming blurry and that you need more light than usual to see small details.
Because dry macular degeneration may occur in only one eye, you may not notice a distinct change in your vision until considerable damage has already occurred. As a result, it is important to undergo regular examinations that include a test for macular degeneration. Though there is currently no treatment or cure for dry AMD, early diagnosis allows your doctor to monitor your condition and administer treatment for the advanced form of the disease, wet AMD.
Wet AMD
Wet macular degeneration occurs when new, delicate blood vessels form behind the retina and under the macula. Because they are so fragile, these blood vessels often leak blood and other fluid into the eye, damaging the macula. The first symptom of wet macular degeneration often reported by our Arizona patients is that straight lines appear wavy. If this symptom sounds familiar, you should not hesitate to seek out medical help as soon as possible.
Laser surgery can sometimes be used to slow the progression of wet AMD by cauterizing the new blood vessels formed in the retina. Unfortunately, this type of treatment is only successful for a limited number of patients. For others, low vision aids such as magnifying glasses, large-print books, and telephones with high-visibility buttons may be the best alternatives.
To schedule an examination, or to learn more about macular degeneration, contact one of the Arizona locations of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy can occur in anyone who has Type I, Type II, or gestational diabetes and is responsible for a large percentage of adult-onset blindness. Retinopathy causes severed damage to the eye's retina, as blood vessels become blocked and damaged in each successive step of the disease.
The first stage of diabetic retinopathy is called non-proliferative retinopathy, which may or may not affect your vision. During this stage of the disease, portions of the retina's blood cells weaken and bulge outward. Some of these capillaries will become blocked and unable to deliver nourishment to the retina. If too many capillaries get blocked, the body will try to compensate by growing new blood vessels. These new vessels, however, tend to be fragile.
Proliferative retinopathy is the name given to the next stage of the disease and occurs when the fragile new blood vessels break and leak fluid and blood into the eye. This fluid can cause vision to become cloudy.
At any point during the progression of diabetic retinopathy, the macula may be moved out of position by retina swelling. If this occurs, your vision may become blurry. This condition is called macular edema.
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatments
The best way to slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy is to work with your doctor to control your blood sugar levels. If, however, your condition has developed into proliferative retinopathy, laser treatment similar to those used for macular degeneration can be helpful. Your Arizona surgeon will use a laser to cauterize the new blood vessels, slowing or even halting the flow of blood into the eye.
If a great deal of fluid has already entered the eye, a vitrectomy may be helpful in restoring your sight. During this procedure, the doctor will remove the gelatinous matter inside your eye and replace it with clean saline solution. This surgery has an excellent rate of success and allows insulin-dependent patients to recover a great deal of their visual acuity.
Retina conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration should not keep you from enjoying life. At the Arizona practice of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, our surgeons combine the use of medication, laser technology, and traditional surgery to preserve your sight and your active lifestyle. To talk to one of our doctors about prevention and treatment of these diseases, contact us today.
To speak with a doctor about retina conditions such as macular degeneration, contact the Arizona practice of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center.
