Retina
The retina is a thin structure which lines the inside of the eyeball. It is the layer which enables you to see, akin to the film of the camera.
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Overview
A healthy functioning retina is crucial to ensuring you can see clearly. It is a complex structure, made up of many layers and millions of cells. Despite this, it is usually less than 0.5mm in thickness.
The retina lines the inside of the sphere of the eyeball, capturing light that is focussed upon it. The centre of the eyeball is called the vitreous cavity, and this filled by a gel-like structure made up of water, hyaluronic acid and collagen. Mr. Neffendorf is one of a small number of ophthalmologists who is highly specialised at looking after patients with diseases or problems of the retina and vitreous.
There are a large number of conditions that can affect the retina and vitreous. These range from vitreous floaters that might interfere with your vision, to sight threatening emergencies such as retinal detachment. The retina can also be affected by systemic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In some cases, examination of the retina can identify these conditions before they have been formally diagnosed which demonstrates the importance of a regular eye check-up.
Symptoms
There are many symptoms that might indicate problems in the retina and vitreous. These include changes to your general vision, such as it being generally reduced or cloudy, areas of lost vision or the central vision becoming distorted. Other symptoms that require assessment are flashing lights and floaters.
Early identification of symptoms is important because most conditions of the retina and vitreous which require laser, injections or surgery, have a far better long term visual outcome if they are treated early, rather than late. Early treatment of certain conditions can result in minimal long term effect on vision. Late identification of certain conditions can mean the vision is irreversibly damaged and in some cases no treatment might be possible.
There are also some conditions of the retina and vitreous which do not present with any symptoms in their early stages, and therefore regular review by an expert can help you identify, monitor and treat a problem early.
Retina and Vitreous Conditions
Overview and management of diseases affecting the retina and vitreous