Retina specialist care is often needed for those with diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, or eye floaters.

A medical doctor who holds a specialization in Ophthalmology is called a retina specialist. A retina specialist focuses on diseases at the back of the eye – within the macula, vitreous, and retina. They are responsible for the treatment and surgery of the retina and the vitreous body.  Both of them are very delicate parts of eye and require attention and accurate skill. The responsibility of a retina specialist includes following a set of tests and using equipment to make a diagnosis about various condition of the retina or vitreous body (like macular degeneration or eye floaters). These conditions are found in both children and adults.  Commonly occurring conditions include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, choroidal nevi, severe eye trauma cases and congenital conditions. Retinal specialists help their patients in treating the confronted condition by several applicable procedures.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common complication of diabetes. In this complication, the blood vessels of the black part of the eye, called the retina, are damaged. This causes double vision, eye pain, blurred vision and sometimes a shadow in the field of vision.

Diagnosis: The retina specialists diagnose this condition by dilating the eye pupil for a better view. This test is called the “dilated eye exam”. The pupil is dilated by adding a few drops. The specialist checks for:

• Diabetic macular edema (swelling of retina)
• Retinal ischemia (poor circulation)
• Abnormal or new blood vessels (neovascularization)
• Vitreous hemorrhage

How does a Retina Specialist help?

Eye Injections: These injections contain medication that is injected in the middle part of the eye. This medicine blocks the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). It prevents the leakage of fluid and disrupts abnormal growth of blood vessels.

In other cases, eye laser and surgery of the retina and vitreous body are also practiced.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD or ARMD)

Age-related Macular Degeneration or ARMD is a condition in which the patient suffers from loss of vision and loss of visual acuity in the center of the eye. Initially, it is limited to the center but eventually spreads. It is actually the deterioration of choroid and retina.

Diagnosis: The retina specialists diagnose this condition by examining the eye with a slit lamp and using several images such as:

• Fluorescein Angiography (FA)
• Indocyanine Green Angiography (ICGA)
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

How do Retina Specialists help?

• Anti-VEGF Drugs: Avastin® (bevacizumab), Lucentis® (ranibizumab) and Eylea® (aflibercept) are the drugs which prevent neovascularization (growth of abnormal blood vessels).
• Anti-VEGF Injections: These injections are for the patients of wet ARMD.  There are three different regimens recommended by retina specialists to deliver these eye injections.

Treat and Observe: Three injections are given and then the condition is observed.  Treatment is only pursued if there are signs of activity.

Treat and extend: After the three initial injections, the time between each injection is increased slowly 1-2 weeks at a time.

Monthly injections: Every month injections are given (about every 4-5 weeks).

• Laser Photocoagulation / Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
• AREDS supplements: These are for the patients with dry ARMD

Retinal Detachment

Retinal Detachment is a condition in which the retina peels off the back of the eye. It is a painless condition in which the retinal cells are separated from the back of the eye wall. The patient experiences flashing lights, reduced peripheral vision, and appearance of eye floaters suddenly.

Diagnosis:

• Detailed Eye Exam: A careful examination of the eye is done to spot any breaks in the retina.
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): It is used to check whether the fluid has developed in the retina or not.
• Ultrasound: If none of the above helps make a diagnosis then an ultrasound of the eye is performed by the retina specialist.

How do Retina Specialists help? A retinal specialist usually conducts one or more than one surgery to reattach the retina.

• Scleral Buckle: With the help of a silicone band, the eye wall is pushed towards the retina to reattach them. The tear is sealed permanently with scarring (eye laser or cryotherapy).
• Vitrectomy: The eye floaters are removed from the eye.  With the help of a laser, the tear is fixed. Later a gas bubbles are used to fill the eye to hold the newly fixed retina in place.
• Laser surgery: In case of small detachments, a laser is used to make sure the detachment doesn’t spread.