Retinal Disease Treatment

The retina is the light-sensitive tissue on the inside of the back of our eyes. The are a number of conditions that can affect the retina and cause problems with vision. The most common retinal diseases that we see at Riant Eye Clinic are age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Retinal detachment can also be a catastrophic problem in people with myopia.

People sometimes ask us why they need to visit Riant Eye Clinic for routine eye examinations when they feel they can see just fine. The main reason is to check for problems in the back of your eye, such as conditions like glaucoma or retinal disease. These diseases can develop without any change to your sight and in most cases the damage to your eye is irreversible. Fortunately, with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, most disease processes can be slowed or halted altogether. Below are some eye diseases we treat.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)

As we get older waste products accumulate in our retina. These can interfere with the normal functioning of the eye at the macula – the central part of the retina that we get our best vision from. Macular degeneration affects ~15% of us over the age of 50 in Nigeria, and is three times more likely in smokers.

Most macular degeneration is the ‘dry’ form and slowly worsens over time. Approximately 10% of ARMD is the ‘wet’ form, which occurs when fluid or blood leak into the macula, causing it to distort. Wet ARMD can develop quickly and can cause permanent blindness if left untreated.

An OCT scan of a patient with macular degeneration showing the debris building up under the retina.

Currently not much can be done for dry ARMD except altering lifestyle factors such as improving diet, exercising regularly and stopping smoking. If you have wet ARMD prompt treatment with injections from an eye surgeon can improve the swelling in your retina. Our optometrists can easily detect and monitor the different forms of ARMD and arrange prompt treatment for you if necessary.

People with high myopia (short-sightedness) can also get a form of macular degeneration, however this is caused by thinning of the back of the eye due to their stretched eye ball shape.

Diabetic Retinopathy

An OCT scan of a diabetic with swelling in their retina due to poor control of blood sugar levels. Normally the retina is smooth and even with no blue spaces (fluid).

Diabetes is a condition that affects 7% of Nigerians. There are different forms of the condition but all result in increased sugar in the blood. These sugars can cause changes to the blood vessels in the eye, resulting in bleeding, swelling and scarring of the retina over time. 70% of diabetics will have eye changes within 15 years of their diagnosis.

If you are a diabetic it is important to have your retina and vision thoroughly checked by your optometrist at Riant Eye Clinic at least every 2 years. If serious retinal problems are detected you made need referral to an eye surgeon (ophthalmologist) for treatment.

Diabetics also have other problems with their eyes including increased risk of dry eye and cataracts.

Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment is a potentially blinding condition that occurs in 5% of patients with high myopia (short-sightedness). Other causes include trauma and diabetic retinopathy. In a retinal detachment, the thin light-sensitive retinal tissue on the inside of the eye separates from the other layers of the eye. This tissue needs to be urgently repaired back in place with surgery to avoid loss of vision.

Symptoms that you may experience if you have a retinal detachment include bright spots or streaks of light in your vision (flashes), drifting specks or blurs (floaters) or loss of peripheral vision. If you notice any of these symptoms contact Riant Eye Clinic urgently to have your retina checked for holes, tears or detachments. Bring someone to drive you home as drops that dilate your pupils will be used to help our optometrists check the integrity of your retina.