How is the Retinal Damage detected ?

To make a diagnosis, an Eye Doctor performs a thorough eye exam and looks for irregularities anywhere in the eye. The following tests may be done to find the location and extent of the disease :

• Amsler grid test :

An Eye Doctor may use an Amsler grid to test the clarity of your central vision. You'll be asked if the lines of the grid seem faded, broken or distorted. Noting where the distortion is on the grid can help to understand the extent of retinal damage.

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) :

This test is an excellent technique for capturing precise images of the retina. This can help diagnose epiretinal membranes, macular holes and macular swelling, called edema. It also can monitor the extent of age-related wet macular degeneration and how it's responding to treatment.

• Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) :

FAF may be used to determine the stage of retinal diseases, including macular degeneration. FAF highlights a retinal pigment, called lipofuscin, that increases with retinal damage or dysfunction.

• Fluorescein angiography :

This test uses a dye that causes blood vessels in the retina to stand out under a special light. This helps to exactly identify closed blood vessels, leaking blood vessels, new irregular blood vessels and subtle changes in the back of the eye.

• Indocyanine green angiography :

This test uses a dye that lights up when exposed to infrared light. The resulting images show retinal blood vessels and the deeper, harder-to-see blood vessels behind the retina in a tissue called the choroid.

• Ultrasound :

This test uses high-frequency sound waves, called ultrasonography, to help view the retina and other structures in the eye. It also can identify certain tissue characteristics that can help in the diagnosis and treatment of eye tumors.

• CT and MRI :

In rare instances, these imaging methods can be used to help evaluate eye injuries or tumors.

Retina Treatment :

Doctors use retina treatments to repair or preserve the retina’s function when disease or injury damages it. Retina treatments use lasers, injections, and surgery to fix vision-threatening conditions like diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and detachments, employing methods such as laser photocoagulation to seal tears, anti-VEGF injections to block abnormal vessels, and vitrectomy to repair severe detachments, with outcomes highly dependent on early diagnosis and condition severity.

Common Treatments

• Laser Therapy (Photocoagulation) :

Uses focused light to create scars, sealing leaky blood vessels (diabetic retinopathy, macular edema) or "welding" the retina to the eye wall for tears.

• Intravitreal Injections :

Medications (like anti-VEGF) injected directly into the eye to stop abnormal blood vessel growth in conditions such as wet macular degeneration or diabetic macular edema.

• Cryopexy :

A freezing probe creates scars to seal retinal tears, often used with laser treatment.

Surgical Options

• Vitrectomy :

Microsurgery to remove the vitreous gel, often used for complex detachments, macular holes, or bleeding, replacing it with gas, air, or liquid.

• Scleral Buckle :

A silicone band sewn around the eye's surface to push the wall inward, helping reattach the retina.

• Pneumatic Retinopexy :

Involves injecting a gas bubble into the eye to hold the retina in place while laser/cryo seals the tear.

Advanced & Future Treatments

• Gene Therapy :

Emerging treatments for hereditary conditions like retinitis pigmentosa

• Retinal Prostheses ("Bionic Eyes") :

Devices implanted to provide basic sight for severe vision loss.

Conditions that commonly require intervention

Retinal detachment needs the most urgent care among all retinal conditions. Retina specialists also treat :

• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy :Laser treatment works best here

• Macular edema :A mix of focal and grid laser therapy usually helps

• Retinal tears or holes : These need quick treatment to stop detachment

• Neovascular diseases : Including those linked to age-related macular degeneration

• Central serous retinopathy :Doctors treat this with photodynamic therapy or MicroPulse laser

• Vascular occlusive diseases : These often need different treatments combined Quick treatment is vital for most of these conditions. Some conditions like diabetic retinopathy need ongoing care to keep them under control.