Retina
Specialised care of the vitreous, the retina and diabetes-related damage.
The retina is the photographic film of the eye. Surgery of the vitreous (the protein gel located behind the lens) and of the retina requires very specific equipment and is performed only by ophthalmologists specialised exclusively in this field.
The main conditions treated
- Retinal detachments
- Macular holes
- Epimacular membranes
- Certain diabetic retinopathies
- Vitrectomies
Diabetes and the retina
Diabetes can damage the fine vessels that supply oxygen to the retina: this is diabetic retinopathy. The risk increases with the number of years of diabetes, poor diabetes control, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
It threatens vision in two ways. In the periphery, small vessels become blocked and the oxygen-starved areas grow new disorganised vessels, leading to haemorrhages, neovascular glaucoma and retinal detachment. In the centre, at the macula, the vessels become leaky and the retina swells with fluid, blurring vision. An annual check of vision and of the fundus is essential for diabetic patients.
