Get An Overview on Retinal Diseases that Cause Chronic Blindness
Get an Overview on Retinal Diseases that Cause Chronic Blindness
The Retina is a nerve tissue at the back of the eye which manages all the visual information and sends this information through the optic nerve to the brain. In short, Retina enables us to see things. Various retinal diseases can affect the retina that can cause blurred vision or serious vision loss.
Here are some of the common retinal diseases and their symptoms
1. Macular Degeneration — Macular Degeneration is one of the leading eye disorders that affect people age 50 or above. This disease degenerates and deteriorates the centre part of the retina known as the Macula. It can lead to blurred vision, trouble reading and driving, distorted vision and if not treated properly it can result in complete blindness.
There are two types of Macular Degeneration-
A. Dry Macular Degeneration- In this form the macula becomes thin because of the breakdown of the cells gradually. This disease takes some time to show symptoms like blurred vision, inability in recognizing faces, reading etc. Most people have Dry Macular Degeneration in one eye and then it affects both eyes. Regular eye examination and early detection of Dry Macular Degeneration can prevent vision loss.
B. Wet Macular Degeneration- Wet Macular Degeneration happens when the blood vessels grow under the macular region that leads to fluids and blood leaking under the retina. It can result in massive damage to the retina and blurs central vision. Symptoms include blurred and distorted vision, lack of clear colour vision, difficulty in recognizing faces etc. A painless decrease in vision can be experienced also.
2. Diabetic Retinopathy — Diabetic Retinopathy is a diabetic eye disease that happens mainly because of complications from diabetes. Uncontrolled blood sugars can lead to leakage of blood and fluids in the back of the eye. It causes the swelling of retinal tissues that can lead to blurred, cloudy and distorted vision as well dark spots in the eye. The Blood vessels that support the retina at the back of the eye got damaged because of the diabetic disease that leads to eye problems.
There are four types of Diabetic Retinopathy-
There are two forms of Retinal Vascular Occlusion-
Retinal vein occlusion is of two types
Here are some of the causes of Retinal Vascular Occlusion-
3. Retinal Vascular Occlusion- Retinal Vascular Occlusion happens when one of the blood vessels carrying the blood to the retina get blocked because of inefficient working of the vascular system that transports blood throughout the body, including the eyes. This occlusion stops the retina from working properly because the fluids block the light coming to the retina. A blood clot or occlusion can halt the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the retina that can cause the vision problem. Most often this disease happens in middle-aged and older people.
Symptoms of Retinal Vascular Occlusion -
The symptoms of this disease usually occur in one eye such as blurry or partial vision. In case you didn’t take the proper treatment it can even lead to complete loss of vision. You should seek treatment and medical attention from an ophthalmologist in case you experience any change in your vision.
Heart Problems
Diabetes
Overweight
High cholesterol
Smoking
Glaucoma
Rare Blood Disorders
Conclusion- If you are experiencing any of the signs that are mentioned in the article above makes sure to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor Plainfield il and get your eyes checked. A regular eye examination can detect and diagnose retinal diseases properly. Pay attention to all the symptoms and warning signs such as flashes, floaters, blurry or reduced vision because these can lead to serious retinal diseases and even permanent vision loss. We at windy city Retina always makes sure that all our patients get the best possible treatment.
Originally published at https://www.windycityretina.com on November 10, 2021.
