The eye is a fascinating and complex part of your body. The fact that the many pieces of the eye work and move together to provide sight is amazing! One of the most important and sensitive parts of your eye is the retina.
The retina is a key part of the eye, but do you know what it does? Keep reading to learn more about it!
What the Retina Does and How it Works
The retina is the part of the eye that is handles the detection of light. If you look at the structure of a camera, the retina is like the electronic sensor behind the lens.
When the retina detects light, it sends the information through the optic nerve. When the information reaches the brain, it is an electrical impulse.
It isn’t until it reaches the brain that the information gets translated into what we perceive as an image.
The retina is the tissue on the inside of the eye. It is the innermost of three layers of tissue. The outer layer of the eye is the sclera, which is the white part of the eye.
The middle layer is the choroid, which provides the retina with nutrients and oxygen. This is then provided through the blood vessels.
The retinal layer of tissue has light sensitive cells inside. These light sensitive cells fall into two categories: rods and cones.
Rods detect monochromes and are used for low light sight. Cones detect color and are used for detailed vision.
Retinal Problems
Since the retinal tissue is so sensitive by design, it can become damaged due to injury or disease. It is important to schedule regular eye exams to avoid the following issues:
Macular Degeneration
The center of the retina is the macula, and influences the central part of your vision. Macular degeneration, usually caused by advanced age, comes in two varieties.
Wet macular degeneration occurs when irregular blood vessels grow underneath the macula. The irregular blood vessels leak blood and fluid, which destroys the macula. Dry macular degeneration happens slower and is the cells breaking down.
Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment is is a condition in which the retina actually begins to fall off of the inside of your eye. It can occur for a variety of reasons.
Some reasons include genetics, cataract surgery, and a complication of nearsightedness. It is much more likely to happen to people who are over the age of 40.
Retinal detachment is fixable but it needs immediate treatment to save vision. See a doctor immediately if you have a sharp increase in the amount of floaters in your eyes.
It’s also a concern if you experience a rapid loss of vision. If not treated as a medical emergency, vision loss could be permanent.
There are many other retinal diseases to look out for! It’s never too soon to begin planning an appointment with Danbury Eye in Connecticut! Contact us today and get your eyes in great shape.
