High myopia and retinal detachment prevention

[Modesto]

i just have a short little question. You see, i went to my ophthalmologist yesterday and he told me that because I'm so nearsighted, i have an increased chance of having a retinal detachment. Is there any type of prevention surgery that would prevent this from happening? If so, how does it work and what's it called?

[Spring Hill]

If areas of thinning,called lattice degeneration, or small retinal breaks are seen, they can be treated with laser retinal photocoagulation as a prevention.This works as a sort of "spot weld" on the retina to make it stay stuck to the underlying eye. In the absence of these, there is no specific prevention. Routine checkups usually are effective at finding any predisposition toward retinal detachment.

[Mohall]

Many people ask whether the correction of myopia may help prevent retinal detachment. Unfortunately, the answer is no, since laser treatment (PRK or Lasik) corrects the curvature of the cornea and adapts it to a longer eye bulb, but it does not modify the internal conditions of the eye bulb. From this point of view, the removal or substitution of the crystalline lens that many specialists use to treat high myopia is very counterproductive: it is the equivalent of cataract surgery and it entails the same risk for the patient as those described above. A series of hygienic and behavioural norms can limit the action of general risk factors. People with a confirmed predisposition towards retinal detachment (such as potentially dangerous areas of retinal degeneration) should avoid exposure to high temperatures during heat waves, while increasing consumption of water and mineral salts, and should avoid head trauma and concussions: this is especially true for athletes (headers in football, diving).

[Spring Hope]

There are several ways to fix a detached retina. Pneumatic retinopexy describes the injection of a gas bubble into the vitreous space inside the eye enabling the gas bubble to push the retinal tear back against the wall of the eye and close the tear. Laser or cryosurgery is used to secure the retina to the eye wall around the retinal tear. A scleral buckle or flexible band is placed around the equator of the eye to counterbalance any force pulling the retina out of place. Often the ophthalmologist will drain the fluid from under the detached retina, allowing the retina to return back to its normal position against the back wall of the eye. This procedure is performed in the operating room, usually on an outpatient basis. A vitrectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the vitreous gel that pulls on the retina. This may also be necessary if the vitreous is to be replaced with a gas bubble. Your body's own fluids will gradually replace this gas bubble, but the vitreous gel does not return. Sometimes a vitrectomy may be combined with a scleral buckle.The decision of which type of surgery and anesthesia (local or general) to use depends upon the characteristics of the retinal detachment. Surgery for a Detached Retina

[Mogote]

In high myopia, the eyeball stretches and becomes too long. This can lead to holes or tears in the retina and can also cause retinal detachment. It is most common in people middle-aged and older. About 6 percent of the population has retinal holes, but most of these do not lead to retinal detachment. It is widely known that the people with severely myopic, usually greater than 10 diopters, are easily get retinal detachment. Frankly, most cases of retinal detachment cannot be prevented. Moreover, the surgery is the only treatment for retinal detachment. The goals of surgery are to reattach the retina or to prevent or reverse vision loss. Almost all retinal detachments can be repaired with scleral buckle surgery, pneumatic retinopexy, or vitrectomy. But even with such a high rate of success for surgery, it is important to act quickly. If you have any intention to have such kind of surgery, you need to contact your eye doctor as soon as possible.