Retinal Detachment Symptoms

Written by

 

Retinal Detachment Symptoms

The retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue that lines the inside of the eye, similar to the film in a camera. The retina is responsible for sending visual messages through the optic nerve to our brain. Retinal detachment occurs when the retina is lifted or pulled from its normal position, and vision loss can occur. If not promptly treated, retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss.      เว็ปแตกง่าย

Our eye is filled with a gel-like substance called the vitreous and as we get older, the vitreous slowly begins to shrink. If this shrinkage pulls on the attached retina hard enough, it could result in a tear. Then, fluid is able to pass through the small tear and when this happens it can lift the retina off the back of an eye- a retinal detachment.

A retinal detachment is more likely to occur in those who have:

  • Severe nearsightedness
  • A previous retinal detachment
  • A family history of retinal detachments
  • Had cataract surgery
  • Had an eye injury
  • An eye disease such as uveitis, degenerative myopia or lattice degeneration

The most common symptom of retinal detachment is either a gradual or sudden onset of eye floaters and flashes. Floaters are dark colored specks, clouds, or web-like images that drift across the field of vision. Flashes on the other hand, are sparks or flashes of light that are seen out of the corner of the eye and are more common at night. In addition to floaters and flashes, another common symptom is having a shadow appear in your peripheral vision that eventually spreads to the central vision. Similarly, you may notice a transparent or grey colored “curtain” that is coming down over your field of vision. Additionally, straight lines may begin to appear curved. It is important to note that there typically is not any pain associated with a retinal detachment.

Contact California Retina Consultants at any of our locations across Central California to learn more about Retinal Detachment or to schedule an appointment.

How Smoking Affects Your Eyes

Written by

We all know that smoking, whether it be in the form of cigarettes or cigars, has a multitude of adverse effects on our bodies and overall health. But did you know smoking has several negative effects on our eyes specifically as well?

May 31st is World No-Tobacco Day! The purpose of this day is to encourage people to reduce or stop tobacco use and to highlight all of the preventable health risks. Smoking tobacco in particular harms your eyes, increases your risk for eye disease, and can even lead to vision loss.

Among the eye conditions that are worsened by smoking are:

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD is a condition in which the macula becomes damaged and central vision is lost, while peripheral vision stays the same. Studies show that smoking greatly increases your risk for AMD and unfortunately there is no cure for the disease.

Diabetic Retinopathy
This condition is caused by high blood sugar levels which causes the blood vessels behind the retina to leak or become blocked, which results in blurred vision or vision loss. Smoking is also said to increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy.

Cataracts
A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens, which inhibits the light from passing through to the retina clearly and causes blurred vision. Smoking can speed up the progress of cataracts, making colors look dull or yellowish.

These are only a few eye conditions that are worsened by smoking. Others include glaucoma, dry eye, optic nerve issues, and uveitis. If you are a tobacco user, there is no better time than right now to quit! Invest in your long-term eye health.

Macular Degeneration Danger in Malibu

Written by

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a disease that, as the name suggests, is more prevalent in older individuals. In fact, AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss for people over the age of 50. The median age of folks from Malibu is 52.2, meaning that more than 50% of Malibu’s population is at a higher level of risk for AMD. If you’re over the age of 50, there is a relatively simple way to see if you might have early stages of AMD. Look at the grid below.

amsler-grid

The picture above is called an Amsler grid. Cover one eye and look at the center dot. If the lines do not appear straight, or if you see any distortion in the grid itself, you may have early symptoms of AMD. Do the same thing for the other eye, as AMD symptoms are not always symmetric. If you have any of these symptoms, please contact California Retina Consultants today to prevent vision loss.

Nathan Steinle, MD Retina Today

Written by

Nathan Steinle, MD of California Retina Consultants recently wrote about “Pointers for Performing Pneumatic Vitreolysis” in Retina Today Magazine.

Click “HERE” to read more.

 

 

New Medicare IDs

Written by

New Medicare card outreach to and education for people with Medicare will begin in January 2018, before we start mailing the new Medicare cards. The new cards, which we’ll begin mailing in April 2018, will have new Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) instead of Social Security Number (SSN)-based Health Insurance Claim Numbers (HICNs) to help protect the identities of people with Medicare.

 

To read more on this, click the link below!

https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/New-Medicare-Card/Partners-and-Employers/Partners-and-employers.html

Dr. Daniel Learned warns about “Eclipse Blindness”

Written by

With so many people looking at the sky during this event, there is a hidden danger that a lot of people don’t know about if you stare at the sun without protective eye wear and that is called “eclipse blindness”.
23ABC’s Meteorologist Adam Bowles spoke to a Bakersfield eye doctor to show us how you can protect your self from permanent eye damage while experiencing this rare phenomenon.
Click here to read more.

The Great American Eclipse of 2017 & Solar Retinopathy

Written by

What is Eclipse Blindness, Also Known as Solar Retinopathy?

Although this anticipated astronomical event is very exciting, it can also be extremely harmful to your vision unless proper precautions are taken before viewing. We all know that you should never look directly at the sun. But even during an eclipse, the sun’s light can cause permanent damage to the eyes which is referred to as “eclipse blindness” or solar retinopathy. Exposure to direct sunlight can cause permanent and irreversible damage to the retina. The retina is a thin layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye on the inside. Light rays are focused onto the retina through the cornea, pupil and lens. The retina then converts the light into neural signals, and sends these signals on to the brain for visual recognition.

Take Precautions for Safe Viewing

So how do you safely watch this wonder? The safest way is to view the eclipse through solar filter glasses that meet the worldwide standard known as ISO 12312-2. These solar glasses must be in perfect condition with no scratches, and should be less than three years old. The only time that you can safely look at the sun without a solar filter is if you are within the path of totality, and the moon completely covers the bright surface of the sun and it suddenly gets dark. As soon as the sun begins to reappear, you must immediately use the solar filter again to watch the remaining phase of the eclipse. When viewing the eclipse from other areas outside of the 70-mile totality range, it is not safe to look at the sun at any point with the naked eye. It is also important to remember to never view an eclipse through an unfiltered telescope, camera, or binoculars, as this can cause severe permanent retinal damage as well. Make certain to educate and supervise small children, as young eyes are more susceptible to vision damage.

READ MORE about the Great American Eclipse of 2017 and solar retinopathy at PRweb.com