After a vitrectomy to treat retinal detachment, it is common for vision to remain blurred or reduced for some time. Post-vitrectomy visual recovery can vary significantly between patients and may take several weeks or even months. During this period, monitoring by your doctor is essential to ensure proper healing and manage any complications. The reader who writes after having undergone a vitrectomy has a vision of only four degrees and asks if stem cells can be a therapeutic choice capable of improving the situation. The answer is Matteo Piovella, president of the Italian Ophthalmological Society (Soi).
Request. I had a retinal detachment with a macular hole eight years ago. After the vitrectomy I see four degrees from the eye. Can the stem cell treatment be an attempt to go back to how it was before (with eight degree vision)? Thank you
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Answer. The cells of the retina are the visual receptors located inside the eye that allow the reception and identification of all images. Via the fibers of the optic nerve the images reach the posterior half of the brain mainly dedicated to vision processing. Therefore the retina works like the microchip of a camera: if it is damaged or poorly functioning, vision is reduced proportionally until the total loss of visual function.
Retinal detachment: is there a risk of blindness after surgery?
edited by Irma D’Aria
The retina is a delicate and sophisticated tissue like brain tissue. It covers the entire internal back part of the eye and adheres well to the sclera. When the retina is not well attached to the sclera, it is called retinal detachment. Regardless of the extent of the retinal detachment, it is important to underline the need to undergo surgery dedicated to re-attaching the retina under penalty of loss of vision.
In summary, a person suffering from retinal detachment must undergo a dedicated operation to prevent a total detachment of the retina and the consequent loss of vision.
The most sophisticated part of the retina that allows good vision is the macula. When there is a macular hole, therefore, in the center of the macula, vision is penalized and cannot normally be recovered as before the retinal detachment. Starting as in his case, from 8 tenths and managing to preserve 4 of them after a vitrectomy (an operation carried out to reattach the retina) turns out to be a positive result. It could have resulted in almost total loss of vision. As highlighted, no improvement in vision can be achieved.
Retinal detachment: why high myopia is a risk factor
edited by Irma D’Aria
The use of stem cells in his case is not possible. Stem cells used experimentally at the retinal level do not currently allow any advantage or improvement and it seems that the situation cannot evolve positively for a decade. You consider your vision to be 4/10 above average. Consider that the application of stem cells or the so-called artificial retina allow a potential recovery of sight of 50 times less than today’s visual capacity. Continue check-ups with your eye doctor at least three times a year.
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– 2024-05-09 17:49:43
