What is the retina?

The retina is the light-sensitive back “wall” of the interior of the eye. The retina contains special cells called rods and cones, which when exposed to any light, trigger nerve reactions that are sent to the brain. The brain in return interprets these signals as the images we see in front of us.

What kinds of diseases affect the retina?

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the most prevalent retinal disease, affecting about 15 million older adults in the U.S. AMD causes no symptoms in its earliest stages, and without regular eye exams, the disease may progress undetected until vision loss occurs. The macula is the portion of the retina responsible for central vision. In AMD, the macula deteriorates, affecting the ability to see straight ahead and impairing a person’s ability to read and to see and recognize faces. Other retina diseases include:

• diabetic retinopathy, a retinal disease that affects people with diabetes, damaging the blood vessels that supply the retina with oxygen-rich blood and nutrients
• cancer of the retina, or retinoblastoma
• retinal detachment, an emergent condition that causes the retina to pull away from the back of the eye, requiring immediate medical attention to prevent blindness
• macular holes, which occur more often among people over age 60

How are retinal diseases managed?

Retinal diseases require ongoing care and regular exams to keep them in check and to help slow the progression of the diseases. Dilated exams are an important part of disease management, enabling the retina and macula to be seen and evaluated so signs of disease can be monitored. Having regular exams also ensures you can be referred to an ophthalmologist when needed for more advanced care, which may include lasers to repair holes or abnormal blood vessels or other techniques, including removing the gel-like vitreous portion of the eye.