What does the retina do?
What is retinal imaging?
Why is imaging important?
A healthy retina is vital to vision. Retinal damage can occur more often than most people realize and symptoms of retinal damage can be tough to identify. Retinal imaging may be recommended based on findings during your annual, comprehensive eye care if a doctor suspects an underlying condition.
Precision Imagery. Thorough Results.
Lawrence Eye Care in Chicago uses Precision Imagery, the leader in retinal imaging technology. Its modern design allows doctors to see more and make diagnoses sooner.
What are common retinal problems?
- Macular degeneration
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Floaters
- Uveitis
Macular degeneration affects millions of people around the world, including as many as 10 million Americans. The disease attacks the eye’s macula, where the sharpest central vision occurs. Degeneration leaves dim images or black holes at the center of vision, leaving only the peripheral vision intact. It rarely results in complete blindness, but it can be debilitating nonetheless. Symptoms of macular degeneration include blurry central vision or blind spots.
There are two types of diabetic retinopathy: non-proliferative and proliferative. Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy occurs when fluid from blood vessels in the retina leak into the macula and cause it to swell. This can cause blurry or cloudy vision. When it becomes more advanced, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) can occur. With PDR, new blood vessels are formed in the retina and cause damage by leaking blood into the vitreous. When untreated, PDR can lead to retinal detachment or glaucoma.
Floaters do not have majorly adverse effects on overall vision, but these small abnormalities in vision should be monitored closely as they could indicate a more serious condition. While there are many potential causes of floaters, they usually result from foreign matter in the eye, injury, or another existing eye disease.
Symptoms of uveitis include floaters, eye pain or redness, blurred or cloudy vision, increased light-sensitivity, and headaches. Uveitis results from an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye (iris, ciliary body, and choroid).