Can your retina heal

But, new research into retinal regeneration in zebrafish has identified a signal that appears to trigger the self-repair process. And, if confirmed by follow-up studies, the discovery raises the possibility that human retinas can also be induced to regenerate, naturally repairing damage caused by degenerative retinal diseases and injury, including age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

It turns out that the structure of the retinas of fish and mammals are basically the same. Although the retina is very thin—less than 0. In fish retinas, they also play a key role in regeneration. Graduate student Mahesh Rao got the idea that GABA—normally a fast-acting neurotransmitter best known for its role of calming nervous activity by inhibiting nerve transmission in the brain—might be the trigger for retinal regeneration.

Whereas laser photocoagulation uses thermal energy, cryopexy freezes the tissue into place. Pneumatic Retinopexy - Pneumatic retinopexy is a process in which an air or gas bubble is injected into the eye to help press the damaged retinal tissue into its proper position to reattach and heal.

Scleral Buckling - Scleral buckling involves a small piece of silicone sewn against the white of the eye. Vitrectomy - Vitrectomy is the replacement of the vitreous gel with a new substance to prevent further retinal damage. This technique could be combined with any of the above procedures mentioned.

Learn More About Retinal Repair For more information about treating retinal tears and potentially restoring your vision quality in the process, be sure to contact our team of retina treatment specialists. Popular Tags. All Posts by Month. Retina Associates, LLC. Together, our eye care physicians belong to various prestigious organizations: American Board of Ophthalmology American Academy of Ophthalmology Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology American College of Surgeons American Society of Retina Specialists Our mission is to help every patient preserve or restore their sight through our advanced treatment options.

Contact Us. Phone Number. Dyer, M. Gregory M. Fox, M. Blake A. If you experience any symptoms of retinal detachment, go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away.

Early treatment can help prevent permanent vision loss. A dilated eye exam can help your eye doctor find a small retinal tear or detachment early, before it starts to affect your vision. If you see any warning signs of a retinal detachment, your eye doctor can check your eyes with a dilated eye exam. Your doctor will give you some eye drops to dilate widen your pupil and then look at your retina at the back of your eye.

This exam is usually painless. The doctor may press on your eyelids to check for retinal tears, which may be uncomfortable for some people. If your eye doctor still needs more information after a dilated eye exam, you may get an ultrasound or an optical coherence tomography OCT scan of your eye. Both of these tests are painless and can help your eye doctor see the exact position of your retina. Depending on how much of your retina is detached and what type of retinal detachment you have, your eye doctor may recommend laser surgery, freezing treatment, or other types of surgery to fix any tears or breaks in your retina and reattach your retina to the back of your eye.

Sometimes, your eye doctor will use more than one of these treatments at the same time. Freeze treatment cryopexy or laser surgery. If you have severe myopia nearsightedness or have had eye surgery or an eye injury, you have a higher chance of having a retinal tear.

Retinal tears deprive your retina of oxygen, which can lead to permanent damage and vision loss. However, the small tear can also allow liquid to seep under the retina, which causes detachment. Almost everyone gets occasional floaters — the grey or transparent specs that float across your vision.

Most of the time, you see one or two of them. However, a sudden increase of floaters, which might look like a shower or a curtain of floaters, signifies a retinal tear or detachment. Other warning signs of a retinal tear include flashes of light, shadows or veils over your vision, sudden blurry vision, or decreased peripheral vision. If you notice any of these symptoms, call us right away. We offer comprehensive eye exams, including cutting-edge retinal scans and tests to diagnose retinal tears and detachments.