Retina
San Francisco Retina Treatment
At Pacific Eye Associates, we have two expert retina eye doctors who’ve both received their medical degrees at the top universities. Both Dr. Ali Zaidi, M.D., and Dr. Jennifer Sung, M.D., are the best ophthalmologists and surgeons in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Our retina doctors have full understanding of the latest retinal treatments yet the expertise of how to customize one’s treatment to their condition.
What is the Retina?
The retina is the thin layer of cells that line the back of your eye. This thin layer of cells senses light. Then, sends signals to your brain, so we can see properly. What’s important to remember is that: blood vessels nourish our retina so that our retinas can properly function. If these blood vessels suffer damages, our the retinas can develop different diseases.
Click here to read more about the different retina disease we treat.
Services We Offer
If caught early, most retina diseases are treatable, which is why annual medical eye examinations are important. At Pacific Eye Associates, our doctors offer in-office treatments. These treatments help macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. In-office minor laser surgeries help treat detached or torn retinas, and macular damage. To find out more information about the different retinal procedures available, please contact us today.
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Retina Diseases We Treat:
Common Retina Diseases
- Macular Degeneration: Macular degeneration is age-related. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common name for this disease. As our body reacts to the oxygen, our eye produces free radicals. The free radicals are toxic byproducts of oxygen reaction. In effect, this oxidation is harmful to our bodies. Thus, the stress damages and deteriorates the macula. There are two types of macular degeneration, dry and wet.
- Dry AMD: Generally speaking, as we age, bits of fat and protein gather and collect under the retina. These bits of fat and protein are called drusens. Consequently, when too many masses of drusen form, they prevent oxygen from reaching your eyes.
- Symptoms: Quality of your vision may change. Straight lines appear distorted. Dark or blurry areas appear in the center of your vision.
- Wet AMD: The wet AMD occurs when leaky blood vessels grow under the retina.
- Symptoms: Are the same as Dry AMD. Most individuals will have the dry form of macular degeneration
- Dry AMD: Generally speaking, as we age, bits of fat and protein gather and collect under the retina. These bits of fat and protein are called drusens. Consequently, when too many masses of drusen form, they prevent oxygen from reaching your eyes.
Rare Retina Diseases
- Diabetic Retinopathy: When blood sugar levels are too the high blood vessels in the retina may swell or leak. Another problem that may arise is abnormal new blood vessels growth. As a result, all these changes in your blood vessels may steal your vision. Therefore, a proper diet with regular exercise and doctor visits will help control diabetic retinopathy.
- Symptoms: Floaters, blurriness, dark areas of vision and difficulty perceiving colors
- Detached or Torn Retina: The vitreous is a gel-like substance which fills the inside of the eye. The vitreous helps the eye maintain it’s a round shape. Consequently, as we age, the vitreous in our eye may shrink, which causes the retina to tear or lift, and eventually detach.
- Symptoms: Vision may be blurry and or mildly distorted and straight lines can appear wavy
- Macular Pucker or Hole: The macula is a small but mighty oval-shaped area that is located in the center of the retina. The macula provides sharp, central vision we need for reading, driving, and seeing fine detail. Thus, macula must lie flat against the back of your eye to work properly. As we age, the vitreous usually thickens. Hence, this thickening may hinder the macula, causing the macula to stretch or wrinkle which leads to a macular hole or pucker.
- Symptoms: blurriness, and distorted central vision
