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Your ophthalmologist has diagnosed
a torn retina in your eye.
This condition occurs when the tissue
lining the back of your eye has a tear or hole in it
similar to a rip in a piece of cloth.
A torn retina can affect your vision
and often leads to a more serious condition
called the detached retina,
where the retina is lifted away
from the back of the eye.
Your ophthalmologist has recommended repairing
your torn retina with a treatment called cryopexy.
This surgery, which is a freezing treatment,
can help to prevent further retinal damage
and save your sight.
To understand how a torn retina affects your vision,
let's take a look at how the eye works.
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Light rays enter the eye
through the cornea, pupil, and lens.
These light rays are focused on the retina,
the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye.
The retina has two areas:
the peripheral retina,
which gives us our side or wide-angle vision
and the macula, the small area in the center of the retina.
The macula gives us our pinpoint vision,
allowing us to see detail clearly.
The inner eye is filled with a clear, jelly-like substance
called vitreous.
As we age, the vitreous becomes less like jelly
and more like liquid.
Usually, the vitreous is only loosely attached
to the retina, so as the eye moves,
the vitreous moves away from the retina
without causing problems.
Sometimes, though, the vitreous pulls hard enough
to tear the retina.
Flashes of light or floaters can appear
in the field of vision.
If a tear occurs along a retinal blood vessel,
this can cause bleeding into the vitreous.
This is a called a vitreous hemorrhage
and it can cause a large number of floaters
in the field of vision.
Retinal tears are a problem
because fluid can pass through the tear
and lift the retina off the back of the eye.
This is called a retinal detachment.
The retina does not work when it is detached,
and vision becomes blurred.
A retinal detachment is a very serious problem
that almost always causes blindness
unless it is treated.
Your ophthalmologist will repair your torn retina
with a procedure called cryopexy.
This technique applies extreme cold to the retina
to seal it to the wall of the eye.
The goal is to prevent fluid from going through the tear
and under the retina, causing retinal detachment.
This treatment may be performed
in your ophthalmologist's office.
Drops will be put in your eyes to dilate,
or widen, your pupils and to numb them.
You might also be given a small amount of anesthetic
in the outer part of your eye.
Treatment usually takes
less than 30 minutes to complete.
To repair a retinal tear with cryopexy,
your eye surgeon uses a special probe
that applies intense cold energy
to freeze the retina around the tear.
This creates swelling
that eventually becomes scar tissue.
It is this scar tissue that seals the retina
to the wall of the eye, helping to prevent the retina
from detaching completely.
You may experience some discomfort
as the cryoprobe becomes very cold
and pressure is applied to the eyeball wall.
You can let your surgeon know, and he or she will take steps
to make you more comfortable.
It is normal to have a red and swollen eye
after cryopexy,
and you may see new floaters after treatment.
They usually become less noticeable
after a few months.
After cryopexy, it's important that you avoid exercise
or any strenuous activity
to allow your retina to heal properly.
Your doctor will tell you when you can resume
your normal activities.
As with any medication or procedure,
there are risks of side effects
and complications with cryopexy for retinal tears.
These may include a bloodshot eye,
infection,
double vision,
increased pressure in the eye called glaucoma,
scar tissue in the macula,
failure to prevent a retinal detachment
in the future,
and the possible need for additional surgery.
Other treatment options may be available
for your retinal tear.
Depending on your condition,
these options could include laser surgery
or a combination of laser surgery and cryopexy.
Your ophthalmologist can explain
why he or she chose cryopexy
for your particular course of treatment.
You don't have to be treated for your retinal tear,
however, without treatment,
it is very likely you will develop a detached retina
and lose vision in that eye.
The main goal of treating retinal tears
is to prevent severe vision loss
from a detached retina.
Be sure to keep all your appointments
with your ophthalmologist after treatments.
Also, if you have any changes in your vision,
you should call your ophthalmologist right away.
Monitoring your vision is a vital step
toward the goal of preserving your sight.
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