Jakarta, IO – Retinal nerve detachment or what is known in medical terms as ablasio retinal is an emergency where the thin tissue (retina) located at the back of the eye is separated from its normal position. This condition can cause permanent blindness if not treated immediately.
In a live IG with the theme “Retinal Nerve Detachment, What is That?” held on Friday (22/12/2023), Dr. dr. Ari Djatikusumo, Sp.M(K), an ophthalmologist from RSCM Kencana, Jakarta, describes the conditions which can cause the optic nerve to detach including tears in the eye retina; the retina is pulled from its original position due to scar tissue growing in the eye; or a buildup of vitreous fluid without triggering a tear/pull by inflammation or a tumor.
Symptoms and signs include black spots floating in the vision (floaters), flashes of light in the vision (photopsia), and vision blurred or being covered by shadows-like curtains. “Groups of people who are at risk of experiencing nerve loss in the eyes are those who have high myopia or nearsightedness or above minus 5, have experienced retinal detachment before, have undergone eye surgery such as cataract surgery, and have experienced trauma to the eye, and have family members who experienced something similar,” said Dr. Ari.
Patients with suspected retinal detachment should be immediately referred to an ophthalmologist. The initial treatment that can be done by a general practitioner in the referral process is to recommend that the patient reduce mobilization and if possible lie on the side of the “curtain” that is complained of.
If the examination reveals a small tear in the retina with little or no retinal detachment, the tear can be repaired with a laser beam (laser photocoagulation). Retinal nerve detachments caused by tears or pulling on the retina are usually treated surgically, while those that are not caused by tears or pulling on the retina are usually treated without surgery. However, the underlying condition must be identified and treated first.
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Detachment of the nerves in the eye cannot always be prevented, but the risk can be reduced by immediately seeing an eye doctor if the first signs appear in the form of floaters, flashes of light, or changes in the visual field. Regularly check your eyes, especially if you suffer from diabetes, regularly control sugar levels and blood pressure so that the retinal blood vessels remain healthy, and use eye protection when exercising or when doing activities that risk eye injury.
In the end, Dr. Ari emphasized that everyone over 40 years of age should see an eye doctor once a year. (est)