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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 a 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 a detached retina,
where the retina is lifted away
from the back of the eye.
Your ophthalmologist has recommended repairing
your torn retina with laser surgery.
This surgery 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 at 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 photocoagulation.
A laser is used to seal the retina
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.
A lens will be placed on the front of your eye
which is used to focus the laser
precisely on the retina.
Treatment usually takes less than 15 minutes.
To repair a retinal tear with laser surgery,
your ophthalmologist uses a laser
to make small burns around the tear.
The procedure creates scars that seal the retina
to the wall of the eye, helping to prevent the retina
from detaching completely.
You may experience pinprick sensations
as the laser is applied.
You can let your surgeon know,
and he or she will adjust the laser power
or stop the procedure momentarily
to make you more comfortable.
After the laser surgery, it's important
that you avoid exercise or any strenuous activity
to allow your retina to heal properly
for a few weeks.
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 photocoagulation laser treatment
for retinal tears.
These may include temporary pain,
blind spots in your side vision,
loss of central vision,
retinal bleeding,
retinal scar tissue,
the 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 cryotherapy,
which is a freezing treatment,
or a combination of laser photocoagulation
and cryotherapy.
Your ophthalmologist can explain why
he or she chose laser surgery
for your particular course of treatment.
You do not 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 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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