Dystrophy

Degeneration of the retina

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The retina responsible for receiving and transmitting information to the visual parts of the brain. Retinal dystrophy is a disease that is characterized by damage to the vascular system of the eye and cells-photoreceptors responsible for color perception and far vision. Degeneration of the retina can lead to total loss of vision.

The first symptom of macular degeneration is blurred vision in the dark (night or chicken, blindness): in patients with narrow boundaries of the field of vision, decreased dark adaptation, appear in the fundus pigmentation process ("bone") the calf grows with age. Thus, peripheral vision narrows, the person loses the ability to Orient in the twilight, the optic nerve atrophies. Due to the trophicity of the eye patients often develop secondary glaucoma, cataract, retinal detachment and other diseases.

Types of retinal dystrophy

The retinal dystrophy has two types: congenital and acquired.

Congenital degeneration of the retina always genetically determined and is irreversible. The disease begins to progress quickly in children with dominant inheritance; recessive inheritance, the disease sometimes may occur only 30 years.

Acquired dystrophy is most common in older people (after 60 years).

Retinal dystrophy is also divided into Central and peripheral. In the Central damaged Central part of the retina (macula), the patient distinguish only the outlines of objects, may distinguish day from night. Central retinal degeneration has two forms: dry (accumulation between the retina and the choroid tubercles – products of metabolism) and wet (the accumulation of fluid and blood in retina area).

Peripheral degeneration of the retina is common to near-sighted people.

Sometimes peripheral dystrophy develops due to serious illness (liver, kidney, adrenal, pancreas), due to complications of influenza, SARS or other infections.

It is very important to diagnose retinal degeneration, as it affects the effectiveness of treatment. But it is quite difficult, as in the early stages of the disease is almost asymptomatic: small point, "floaters" in the eyes often are not a sufficient reason for going to the optometrist.

To diagnose the disease can be due to ophthalmoscopy,the study of the eyeball and fluorescent angiography.

Treatment of retinal dystrophy

Today in medicine there is no adequate method of treatment of retinal dystrophy, but therapy is always done depending on the reasons for the development of the disease and its forms. Often, doctors use laser photocoagulation to treat retinal detachment. After this surgery the patient is obliged to lead a healthy life, to abandon Smoking and drinking alcohol, take vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B12), monitor blood pressure, physical activity, and so on.

Drug treatment involves administration of angioprotectors, vasodilators, drugs, corticosteroids, diuretics, antioxidants, resolving means. Also carried out injection under the conjunctiva flavinat and biogenic stimulators, ultrasonic, electro - and microwave therapy. To improve blood circulation and metabolic processes, patients do vasoreconstructive and antiglaucoma surgery, cataract surgery.

People suffering from dystrophy, it is advisable to wear sunglasses. They show a balanced diet, intake of fish oil, liver, fresh vegetables, herbs, eggs. Useful are infusions of dried plantain leaves, decoctions of owczarki.