The eye is like a camera with a lens in front and a film (retina) at the back. The retina is located approximately two centimetresbehind your pupil. It is shaped like a small cup. The retina converts the ocular image into a signal that is sent to the brain. The central part of the retina, called the macula, is used for straight-ahead vision and what is in your direct line of sight.

Retina is the neurosensory layer of the eye which is present inside and at the back of the eye. It is on this layer that an image seen by the eye is formed, which is converted to nerve signals and transferred to the brain. Hence person with a normal eye but with a retina disease will have poor vision. The common disease affecting the retina are:-

Diagnostic Interventions :

• FFA (FUNDUS Fluorescein Angiography) Fluorescein angiography, is a clinical test to look at blood circulation inside the eye, it aids in the diagnosis of retinal conditions associated with diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, and other eye abnormalities.
• INDOCYANINE GREEN ANGIOGRAPHY (ICG An Indocyanine Green study (ICG) is a special dye test used to evaluate the circulatory system of the choroid; the layer just behind the retina.
• OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY III OCT with maximum resolution gives an excellent cut section optical view for in depth analysis of the retina.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common vascular retinal disease affecting about 40% of type 1 diabetics and 20% of type 2 diabetics. Duration of the diabetes is the most important risk factor for DR .

Treatment for DR includes Laser photocoagulation,Intra ocular injections (Avastin) and Surgical Treatment .Surgery is done with 23 gauge instruments and Alcon Accurusvitrectomy machine.

Instruments available include Topcon Digital fundus camera, Fundus flurosescein angiography (FFA-where a fluroscent dye is injected into the vein followed by taking a series of photographs of the retina), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), B-scan.

Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment (RD) is a disorder of the eye in which the retina peels away from its underlying layer of support tissue and can lead to vision loss and blindness. It is a medical emergency. RD can occur due to a hole, tear, or break in the retina or inflammation and trauma. At Aster Eye Care Centre l we perform advanced retinal surgeries (to do achieve good postoperative results in patients.

Macular Hole

Macular Hole is a small break in the macula located in the centre of eye's light sensitive tissue called retina. The macula provides the sharp central vision that we need for reading, driving and seeing fine details.

It is generally due to vitreous shrinkage and /or separation, diabetic eye disease, detached retina, high myopia, macular pucker, Best's disease (inherited disease causing macular damage)and eye injury.

When a macular hole develops most people notice a sudden decrease in vision.
Treatment modality depends on the stage of macular hole (4 stages) like vitrectomy, ILM peeling, gas injection etc.

Armd (Age related macular degeneration)

AMD is a disease associated with ageing that gradually destroys sharp central vision. It is of two types- wet AMD and dry AMD. Wet AMD- an early symptom is that a straight line appears wavy.

Dry AMD- The most common symptom of dry AMD is slightly blurred vision. One experiences difficulty in recognizing faces and may need more light for reading and other tasks.
Women are at a higher risk. However other risk factors include- smoking, obesity and family history.
Treatment available is Laser Surgery, Photodynamic therapy and Anti VEGF therapy injection etc.

Laser Vision Correction

Aster eye care are equipped with the advanced software system for laser vision correction in which the treatment can be personalised for each eye of the patient.

A personalised zyoptix treatment (Customized LASIK) corrects the refractive errors to great accuracy and provides best quality of vision by additionally correcting the optical aberration of the eye. A tissue saving zyoptix, as the name suggests, corrects the required power using lesser amount of corneal tissue, thus can correct more refractive error in thin corneas. An Aspheric Zyoptix has the double advantage of correcting spherical aberration of the eye as well as maintaining natural corneal shape.

Vitrectomy services

Vitrectomy surgery is a major medical advance which allows us to treat retinal diseases and prevent vision loss for patients who, in previous years, may have gone blind without this technique. A vitrectomy procedure usually takes about 1-2 hours but may take longer in complex cases or when combined with a scleral buckle or lensectomy. Risks of surgery include infection, bleeding, cataract, glaucoma, and detachment or re-detachment of the retina. Any of these complications can result in severe visual loss or even loss of the eye itself. It is important that you discuss the potential risks and benefits of this procedure with your surgeon before making a decision regarding treatment.

Vitrectomy is a microsurgical procedure in which specialized instruments and techniques are used to repair retinal disorders, many of which were previously considered inoperable. The initial step in this procedure is usually the removal of the vitreous gel through very small (1.4mm) incisions in the eye wall, hence the name "vitrectomy". The vitreous is removed with a miniature handheld cutting device and replaced with a special saline solution similar to the liquid being removed from the eye. A high intensity fiber optic light source is used to illuminate the inside of the eye while the surgeon works. The surgeon uses a specialized operating microscope and contact lenses, which allow a clear view of the vitreous cavity and retina at various magnifications. The procedure is performed in an operating room under local or (occasionally) general anaesthesia. It can often be done as an ambulatory procedure.

• Scleral buckling - A classical method to treat retinal detachments where a band or buckle is implanted around the eye to support the slipping retina. Minimum duration of surgery is 40 minutes and is performed under local anesthesia.
• Cryotherapy for retinal lesions - A 10 minute procedure performed under local anaesthesia. Here the early lesions on the retina are freezed with a cryopexy probe to prevent retinal detachment.
• Cyclodestructive procedure - Cryopexy probe is used to freeze the pressure maintaining tissue in the eye to control pressures in the eyes with uncontrolled glaucoma.