What Can You Expect from a Retina Specialist?

A retina specialist is a medical doctor who has specialized in ophthalmology and sub-specialized in diseases and surgery of the vitreous body of the eye and the retina. 

Ophthalmology is a specialty of medicine dealing with the diseases of the eye and the surrounding tissues, including the eye lids, eye muscles, eye socket, optic nerve and the optic tracks. Because of the many different aspects necessary for the proper function of the eye, ophthalmology has been divided into several subspecialties. One of these is the specialty of retina.

A retinal specialist focuses their work on the retina, which is the delicate nerve tissue that lines the back inside wall of the eye, the vasculature which supports the retina, and the vitreous which is the jelly material that fills the central cavity of the eye.  

A retinal specialist is usually contacted when any of the following occurs:

• Decreased vision which cannot be explained by a condition involving the eye lids, cornea and/or lens.
• Conditions resulting in the clouding of the vitreous including vitreous degeneration, bleeding, inflammation/infection and cancer. 
• If the center of the back of the eye (the macular) is involved, the most common major problem is macular degeneration. Other macular problems include hereditary conditions or the result of a number inflammatory conditions or infections such as Histoplasmosis, Toxoplasmosis, AIDS, etc. Other conditions which can affect the macula include vitreo-macular traction syndrome, pseudophakic macular edema, macular pucker and macular hole.
• Peripheral retinal conditions which would involve a retinal specialist include retinal tears and/or retinal detachments, diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy and tumors (both primary and metastatic), to mention just a few.
• Vascular lesions include both arterial and venous occlusive disease, which may be either central or branch, and vascular anomalies.
• Ocular trauma often falls into the realm of the retina specialist because there is usually bleeding into the eye with retinal damage. This type of retinal damage may include giant retinal tears, retinal dialysis, macular swelling and retinal hemorrhage.  

Damage to the retina can cause permanent vision loss. Our retina specialists commonly treat the conditions mentioned above. To schedule a consultation with a retina specialist in Phoenix, contact Associated Retina Consultants at 602-242-4928 or website.