Diseases and Common Problems Of The Retina

The following comments and photographs describe some of the more common diseases of the retina and show how normal vision is affected by them.

	Normal Vision
	Cataracts

The natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy, producing blurred vision and fading of colors.

Mascular Degeneration

Most patients with this disease retain peripheral vision but lose the ability to see fine detail.  The most common form of this disorder is "dry" macular degeneration for which there is no treatment at this time.  Laser treatment can sometimes halt a sudden and rapid progression of the "wet" form of the disease.  New surgeries are being developed that offer more hope.

Damage to the optic nerve caused by increased fluid pressure within the eye.  Initial symptoms are loss of side vision with occasional pain and halos around lights.

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Floaters

Visible clumps of material within the vitreous which appear to move with eye movement.  In most cases these are harmless - but occasionally they are associated with impending retina detachment.

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Retinal Detachment

In retinal detachment, a black curtain obscures part of the field of vision corresponding to the portion of the retina that is detached.  This is an emergency that often requires immediate surgery.

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Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name for a group of inherited disorders involving deterioration of the retinal photoreceptors.  The disease begins in childhood with night blindness, progressing to very limited tunnel vision in adulthood or even complete blindness.  There is no treatment for this disorder.  Transplantation research offers hope for effective treatment in the 21st Century.

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Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic blindness occurs in two forms: background retinopathy (or nonproliferative retinopathy) caused by a breakdown in tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina, and proliferative retinopathy, in which new blood vessels form and grow out the retina toward the center of the eye.  The longer a person has diabetes, the greater the risk of developing this tragic complication.

Ocular Cancers

Fortunately, most ocular cancers can now be treated without loss of sight.

Melanoma, one of the most aggressive skin cancers, can occur in the choroid behind the retina.  Radiation therapy and laser treatment are common treatments for this condition.

Retinoblastoma, the most common eye cancer of childhood, can be inherited or can arise spontaneously.  In the inherited form, the patient is predisposed to develop other cancers later in life.  The eyes of children at risk must be examined often under anesthesia, but scientists are hoping to perfect new diagnostic tests.