Retina Specialists Wyomissing, PA

You probably haven’t given too much thought about finding a retinal specialist. You probably don’t think you really need one because your regular eye doctor does everything at your annual eye exam. However, you never know when you might have an eye emergency that requires a retinal specialist. At Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, our retina specialists in Wyomissing PA are here for your eye needs.

Detached Retina

People can suffer a retinal detachment when the retinal layer of tissue is pulled away from its normal position. This is often because of an eye injury or trauma, such as a sports injury. The retina contains delicate light-sensitive cells and any detachment is definitely an emergency situation to address quickly.

Symptoms come on quickly if the retina detaches. People can’t see as clearly and often see black specks (floaters) or experience light flashes in one or both eyes. You also might feel as if a dark curtain has been put into the middle of your vision.

If you experience any of these symptoms, either call our emergency number right away or make your way to the nearest emergency room. Retinal detachment must be treated right away because even more of the retina can detach and lead to permanent vision loss or even blindness.

Most retinal detachments result from a serious eye injury. However, you can be more prone if these detachments run in the family or if you’ve had a previous eye surgery. Lower your risk of a retinal detachment by wearing protective eyewear or safety goggles while playing sports or doing other risky activities like trimming trees.

Our excellent specialists offer several treatments depending on the type and extent of your detachment injury.

Other Retina Care

Millions of Americans suffer from diabetes, which is often accompanied by diabetic eye disease like retinopathy, glaucoma or cataract. All of these are serious eye conditions that need treatment and regular care. All of these diseases often have no early symptoms either, so regular eye exams from a retina specialist are very important.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common form of diabetic eye disease; it affects blood vessels in the light-sensitive retinal tissues. The retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss among working-age adults with diabetes. Other eye conditions can be the result of diabetic retinopathy, such as the buildup of fluid called edema in a part of the retina called the macula. In fact, about half of all people with diabetic retinopathy will develop macular edema. When macular damage occurs, central vision is damaged and you might have trouble reading or recognizing faces.

People with diabetes are also more prone to cataracts and glaucoma, which occurs two to five more times than in people without diabetes. Symptoms often go unnoticed until vision loss occurs, and that means that significant damage has likely already occurred.

Take care of your eyes, especially if you have diabetes. You should be getting a diabetic eye exam at least once a year. In fact, eye doctors are often the first healthcare professional to see signs of diabetes in the small blood vessels of the eyes.

Our retina specialists in Wyomissing PA’s Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania office are ready to meet all your eye needs. Give us a call today to schedule your appointment.