Retina Unit
The retina is a thin layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye on the inside. It is located near the optic nerve. The purpose of the retina is to receive light that the lens has focused, convert the light into messages, and send them to the brain for visual recognition.
At Al Arrayed Eye Center, we have a team of retina consultants with over 35 years of experience in diagnosing and treating complex cases using the latest technology, ensuring the highest standards of care and safeguarding patients’ vision health.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the back of the eye (retina). It can cause blindness if left undiagnosed and untreated. However, it usually takes several years for diabetic retinopathy to reach a stage where it could threaten your sight.
Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy
The worry is that sometimes, there are no symptoms of early diabetic retinopathy, and the person’s sight may not be affected until the condition is severe.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy:
- The loss of central vision, for example, while reading or driving
- Loss of the ability to see colors
- Blurred or distorted vision
- Small spots (floaters)
Because retinopathy develops over time, it is important to have an eye exam each year, or more often if you have more than mild retinopathy. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms.
Diagnosis
A thorough ophthalmological examination is crucial, which includes a Retina Scan and Optical coherence tomography (OCT).
What is Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)?
Silverstone, the most powerful tool yet for examining the retina, is the only ultra-widefield imaging device with integrated swept source OCT. It produces a 97% single-capture retinal image of unrivaled clarity in less than ½ second and enables optomap guided OCT scanning across the retina and into the far periphery.
Benefits:
- No dilating drops.
- Taking the image in 1 second.
- Walk in and walk out.
- No need for accompanying person.
- No after-test blurriness.
Treatment:
- Some patients who are affected by mild diabetic macular oedema without any symptoms may only require regular monitoring.
- Laser Therapy
Laser therapy can be used to seal or destroy growing or leaking blood vessels in the retina and prevent the progression of the disease.
- Intravitreal Injections
In some cases, intravitreal injections are required to control the diabetic oedema, restore sight, and prevent loss of vision.
- Surgical Intervention
In advanced cases, with intraocular hemorrhage and/or retinal detachment, surgical management might be required. Laser and different keyhole surgery techniques are highly effective procedures in treating diabetic retinopathy that allow us to resolve very desperate situations.
Studies show that 40% of diabetic patients have Diabetic Retinopathy, but only half of them know that. Early detection helps with proper management of Diabetic Retinopathy and prevents blindness.