Patient Information and Educational Material

The following information is intended to further increase your awareness and understanding of the various Retina and Vitreous conditions that we treat.

Macular Degeneration - is a medical condition usually of older adults which results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macula) because of damage to the Retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness in the elderly (>50 years). Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognize faces, although enough peripheral vision remains to allow other activities of daily life.

Signs and Symptoms:

Bent or warped images

Dark, foggy or light spots

Words on a page may appear distorted or incomplete

The condition is painless

Sample image of how Macular Degeneration affects your vision

For More detailed information please click on these links:

http://www.uniteforsight.org/course/macular.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration

Diabetic Retinopathy - is damage to the retina caused by complications of diabetes mellitus, which can eventually lead to blindness. It is an ocular manifestation of systemic disease which affects up to 80% of all patients who have had diabetes for 10 years or more. Despite these intimidating statistics, research indicates that at least 90% of these new cases could be reduced if there was proper and vigilant treatment and monitoring of the eyes.

Signs and Symptoms:

Diabetic retinopathy often has no early warning signs. Don't wait for symptoms. Be sure to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.

Q. Who is at risk?

A. Those with diabetes mellitus – and those with Type I diabetes (juvenile onset) and those with Type II diabetes (adult onset) for 10 years or more

Sample image of how Diabetic Retinopathy affects your vision

For More detailed information please click on these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_retinopathy

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp

Macular Hole – Otherwise known also as Macular cyst, retinal hole, retinal tear, and retinal perforation. A macular hole is a small break in the macula, located in the center of the eye's light-sensitive tissue called the retina. The macula provides the sharp, central vision we need for reading, driving, and seeing fine detail.

Signs and Symptom:

A macular hole can cause blurred and distorted central vision.Macular holes often begin gradually. In the early stage of a macular hole, people may notice a slight distortion or blurriness in their straight-ahead vision. Straight lines or objects can begin to look bent or wavy.

For More detailed information please click on these links:

http://www.nei.nih.gov/Health/macularhole/index.asp

Macular Edema - Is the term used when fluid and protein deposits collect on or under the macula of the eye causing it to thicken and swell. The swelling may distort a person's central vision. Macular edema is sometimes a complication appearing a few days or weeks after cataract surgery, but most such cases can be successfully treated with NSAID or cortisone eye drops.

Cystoid macular edema - a type of macular edema that includes cyst formation.

Signs and Symptoms:

Blurred or decreased central vision (the disorder does not affect peripheral or side-vision)

Painless retinal inflammation or swelling (usually after cataract surgery)

For More detailed information please click on these links:

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp

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