Vision Care of Maine - Retina Disease

Retinal Disease Treatment and Surgery

Retinal diseases vary widely. Some are common and easily remedied, while others are rare, more difficult to diagnose and require more complex or, sometimes, urgent treatment. Vision Care of Maine surgeons are skilled in differentiating these retina diseases, and developing the treatment plan that slows or stops the disease and preserves vision.
Vision Care of Maine’s team approach to care and their advanced electronic diagnostic instruments help eye specialists work together with other specialists to provide comprehensive care by treating your eye condition and any other disorders at the same time. For example, ophthalmologists can consult with diabetes care specialists regarding patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Advanced Diagnostics

Early Detection AMD Device

Vision Care of Maine has acquired the Foresee PHP® is a non-invasive visual field analyzer for monitoring Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and early detection of conversion to Choroidal Neovascularization (wet AMD or CNV). Validated in clinical trials, the Foresee PHP® technology provides excellent accuracy in CNV detection, 82% sensitivity and 88% specificity. This diagnostic tool allows us the earliest detection possible before the patient begins to notice vision changes.

There are only 500 units in place and operating around the world today. This device is the only one in the State of Maine.

ICG Angiography

Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) enables imaging of the choroidal circulation below the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). ICGA complements fluorescein angiography (FA), which captures blood flow above the RPE. Although ICG angiography is not a replacement for fluorescein, it provides adjunctive information which assists in defining the choroidal circulatory involvement in retinal pathology.
Vision Care of maine Retina surgery
Early attempts at ICGA met with little success because image quality was poor and yielded little important clinical information. SPECTRALIS® cSLO imaging has sparked renewed interest in ICGA. Instead of the cloudy, still images traditionally associated with ICGA, the SPECTRALIS confocal technology avoids the scattered light from flash photography and produces video images of stunning clarity.
The light used for ICGA penetrates deeper into tissue and is not absorbed by the RPE the way fluorescein illumination is. ICGA provides a different and deeper picture of the retina than FA.

Retina Surgery at Vision care of Maine

ICGA provides useful information about a variety of significant conditions including CNV, RAP, CSCR, and Serous PED.
One of the strongest applications of ICGA is with choroidal neovascularization (CNV). ICGA offers a clearer picture, helping clinicians differentiate between occult and classic CNV. ICGA’s unique properties mean that areas of CNV beneath blood, exudate, or pigment epithelial detachment can be imaged more readily.

Treatment options

The goal of most retinal disease treatments is to preserve eyesight and slow disease progression. Vision Care of Maine vitreo-retinal surgeons treat thousands of patients with retinal diseases each year. They also perform research on innovative ways to preserve and restore vision.
Retinal diseases specifically affect the retina, a layer of tissue at the back of the eye that is responsible for vision. These diseases also can affect the macula (area of central vision) or the fovea at the center of the macula. Many retinal diseases share common symptoms and treatments, but each has unique characteristics.
Untreated, retinal diseases can cause severe vision loss or blindness. It's important to pay attention to symptoms or changes in your vision and to seek appropriate care quickly.

Treatment of Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment
Surgery is the only effective treatment for retinal detachment. Immediate evaluation is critical to determine the best treatment approach. Left untreated, retinal detachment can lead to permanent and severe vision loss.
Retinal detachment occurs when the vitreous begins to sag and shrink, a common occurrence with aging. Fluid begins to leak through a tear or break, causing the retina to peel away from the underlying layer.
Warning signs often appear before retinal detachment occurs, such as the sudden appearance of floaters or sudden flashes of light. Surgery is ideally performed within a few days of the diagnosis. Prompt treatment is almost always successful in preserving vision.

Treatment of Epiretinal Membrane

Epiretinal membrane
Epiretinal membrane is a scar tissue-like membrane that forms over the macula, the tissue near the center of the eye's retina that's responsible for central vision. It's also known as macular pucker, macular wrinkling, scar tissue or cellophane membrane. Many cases of epiretinal membrane are mild enough that no treatment is necessary. If vision is significantly affected, your doctor may recommend a vitrectomy to remove the membrane. The procedure improves vision by smoothing out the macula.
Epiretinal membrane typically progresses slowly and affects central vision by causing blurring and distortion. As it progresses, the pulling of the membrane on the macula may cause swelling.
This condition most commonly affects older adults and may be associated with diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, trauma or other disorders.

Treatment of Retinal Tear

Retinal tear
Retinal tear occurs when the vitreous that fills the center of the eye sags and pulls away from the retina, forming small, jagged flaps on the surface. In its early stages, a retinal tear causes blurred vision.
Treatment is needed to reseal the tear, reduce the pull of the shrinking vitreous and sometimes to reattach the loosening portion of the retina to the back of the eyeball.
Your doctor will likely recommend either laser photocoagulation (creating small burns on the retina) or cryopexy (freezing small areas of the retina) to hold the retina to the underlying tissue and prevent retinal detachment and vision loss.

Treatment of Macular Hole

Macular hole
A macular hole is a small break in the macula, the tissue near the center of the eye's retina that's responsible for central vision. Macular holes usually occur in patients (more commonly women) over 60 years old. Most macular holes require surgical repair.
Holes can occur when the vitreous gel that fills the center of the eye begins to sag and shrink and separates from the retina. Sometimes, this shifting pulls on the macula, causing a hole to form.
Macular holes can develop gradually or suddenly. Early signs are slight distortions or blurriness in straight-ahead vision. A blind spot develops in the central vision as the hole progresses.
Macular holes are repaired with a vitrectomy. During the surgery, a gas bubble is placed in the eye. The bubble pushes on the macula when the patient looks down, and allows the hole to heal. After surgery, most patients must maintain a facedown position for 10 days to two weeks to allow the bubble to press against the macula, sealing the hole.